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Communications Physics

Entanglement-enhanced optomechanical sensor array with application to dark matter searches

Anthony J. Brady, Xin Chen, Yi Xia, Jack P. Manley, Mitul Dey Chowdhury, Kewen Xiao, Zhen Liu, Roni Harnik, Dalziel Joseph Wilson, Zheshen Zhang, Quntao Zhuang

Published Sep 1, 2023• 43 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Squeezed light has long been used to enhance the precision of a single optomechanical sensor. An emerging set of proposals seeks to use arrays of optomechanical sensors to detect weak distributed forces, for applications ranging from gravity-based subterranean imaging to dark matter searches; however, a detailed investigation into the quantum-enhancement of this approach remains outstanding. Here, we propose an array of entanglement-enhanced optomechanical sensors to improve the broadband sensitivity of distributed force sensing. By coherently operating the optomechanical sensor array and distributing squeezing to entangle the optical fields, the array of sensors has a scaling advantage over independent sensors (i.e., $$\sqrt{M}\to M$$ M → M , where M is the number of sensors) due to coherence as well as joint noise suppression due to multi-partite entanglement. As an illustration, we consider entanglement-enhancement of an optomechanical accelerometer array to search for dark matter, and elucidate the challenge of realizing a quantum advantage in this context.

DOI
10.1038/s42005-023-01357-z

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Abstract Squeezed light has long been used to enhance the precision of a single optomechanical sensor. An emerging set of proposals seeks to use arrays of optomechanical sensors to detect weak distributed forces, for applications ranging from gravity-based subterranean imaging to dark matter searches; however, a detailed investigation into the quantum-enhancement of this approach remains outstanding. Here, we propose an array of entanglement-enhanced optomechanical sensors to improve the broadband sensitivity of distributed force sensing. By coherently operating the optomechanical sensor array and distributing squeezing to entangle the optical fields, the array of sensors has a scaling advantage over independent sensors (i.e., M→M\sqrt{M}\to MM​→M M → M , where M is the number of sensors) due to coherence as well as joint noise suppression due to multi-partite entanglement. As an illustration, we consider entanglement-enhancement of an optomechanical accelerometer array to search for dark matter, and elucidate the challenge of realizing a quantum advantage in this context.
We propose a sensing scheme for detecting weak forces that achieves Heisenberg-limited sensitivity without relying on entanglement or other non-classical resources. Our scheme utilizes coherent averaging across a chain of N optomechanical cavities, unidirectionally coupled via a laser beam. As the beam passes through the cavities, it accumulates phase shifts induced by a common external force acting on the mechanical elements. Remarkably, this fully classical approach achieves the sensitivity scaling typically associated with quantum-enhanced protocols, providing a robust and experimentally feasible route to precision sensing. Potential applications range from high-sensitivity gravitational field measurements at the Large Hadron Collider to probing dark matter interactions and detecting gravitational waves. This work opens a new pathway for leveraging coherent light-matter interactions for force sensing.
Acceleration sensing, an essential branch of quantum sensing, faces a fundamental trade-off between resolution and bandwidth. Here, we present a quantum-enhanced optomechanical accelerometer (QEOMA), simultaneously achieving the improvement of the sensing resolution and bandwidth in contrast with a classical counterpart. By tailoring quantum squeezed light, the optomechanical cooperativity is significantly raised, extending the sensing bandwidth. Quantum squeezed light increases the equivalent Q value of the optomechanical accelerometer owing to the reduction of the mechanical damping rate, driving the resolution improvement at the resonance frequency. At off-resonance frequencies, the resolution improvement is attributed to the imprecision noise reduction. We obtain the measured noise power spectrum and inferred acceleration resolution for the (3,3), (4,4), (5,5), and (6,6) mechanical modes, respectively. The maximum quantum enhancement is measured for the (6,6) mechanical mode with a 38.4% resolution enhancement and 1.55-fold bandwidth broadening in contrast with a coherent probe. The proposed QEOMA shows significant potential for applications ranging from ultralight dark matter searches to inertial navigation of fast-moving objects.
Optomechanical sensors are capable of transducing external perturbations to resolvable optical signals. A particular regime of interest is that of high-bandwidth force detection, where an impulse is delivered to the system over a short period of time. Exceedingly sensitive impulse detection has been proposed to observe very weak signals like those due to long-range interactions with dark matter that require much higher sensitivities than current sensors can provide. Quantum resources to go beyond the traditional standard quantum limit of these sensors include squeezing of the light used to transduce the signal, backaction evasion by measuring the optimal quadrature, and quantum nondemolition (QND) measurements that reduce backaction directly. These methods have been developed in the context of gravitational wave detection for target frequencies in the audio band range. Here, we provide the theoretical limits to quantum noise reduction for higher and broader frequency targets, such as those from dark matter signals, while combining quantum-enhanced readout techniques based on squeezed light and QND measurements with optomechanical sensors. We demonstrate that backaction evasion through QND techniques dramatically reduces the technical challenges presented when using squeezed light for broadband force detection, paving the way for combining multiple quantum noise reduction techniques for enhanced sensitivity in the context of impulse metrology.
Cavity optomechanical (COM) sensors, enhanced by quantum squeezing or entanglement, have become powerful tools for measuring ultra-weak forces with high precision and sensitivity. However, these sensors usually rely on linear COM couplings, a fundamental limitation when measurements of the mechanical energy are desired. Very recently, a giant enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio was predicted in a quadratic COM system. Here we show that the performance of such a system can be further improved surpassing the standard quantum limit by using quantum squeezed light. Our approach is compatible with available engineering techniques of advanced COM sensors and provides new opportunities for using COM sensors in tests of fundamental laws of physics and quantum metrology applications.
We investigate the enhancement in sensitivity when measuring a weak force through the optical response of an optomechanical oscillator driven by squeezed light. In the context of a quantum sensor based on cavity-optomechanics, the sensitivity scaling measured by the quantum Fisher information for a squeezed vacuum state pump is compared to that for a coherent state pump. We show that squeezed state inputs can produce noise levels below the standard quantum limit and even the Heisenberg limit in given regimes. This study shows that new pathways can be opened for enhanced quantum sensing with optomechanical systems conducive to measuring various physical quantities such as gravitational force, acceleration, and acoustics.
ABSTRACT Distributed quantum sensing (DQS), an essential branch of quantum metrology, can substantially boost the sensitivity and reliability in multi‐parameter estimation, achieving the Heisenberg scaling. Here, we report the first experimental demonstration of a quantum‐enhanced optomechanical sensor network, achieving the DQS advantage of a maximum ‐fold increase trend with sensor number. The challenge of poor uniformity is addressed by decoupling and independently manipulating each optomechanical parameter, and the acquired inconsistencies are less than 2.4%. By tailoring a four‐partite entangled state, the acquired quantum advantage is 57.3% compared to that with coherent probes, and 23.7% compared to that with the separable scheme. Moreover, the quantum enhanced optomechanical sensor network is applied to estimate incoherent forces, enhancing the estimation resolution by 33.7% in contrast with the separable scheme. The entanglement‐enhanced optomechanical sensors with high consistency pave the way for future large‐scale quantum sensor network, facilitating the micro‐seismic epicenter locating, dark matter searching, and so on.