We present the first experimental prototype of a stable phase-insensitive optomechanical quantum filter designed to enhance the shot-noise-limited sensitivity of interferometers, such as gravitational-wave detectors and axion detectors, without use of squeezed light. Our prototype features a high-Q silicon nitride membrane that is dispersively coupled to a system of two coupled optical cavities with a total length of approximately 6 meters, making it the first meter-scale system optomechanically coupled to a nano-object and operating in the resolved sideband regime. We report on the latest results and discuss other potential applications of our prototype, including optomechanical cooling below the ground-state level, quantum non-demolition measurements of the quantum states of the membrane, and strong coherent coupling of two nano-objects separated by a distance of several meters.
We present a novel type of direct detector for axions and axion-like particles. Our approach utilizes a high-finesse optical cavity, where the polarization axis of a linearly polarized laser beam undergoes rotation induced by the axion field of the galactic halo. In our first observing run, the detector reached a peak sensitivity of 1.44*10^(-10) GeV^(-1) (at a 95 % confidence level) to the axion-photon coupling strength in the mass range of 1.97-2.01 neV, establishing it as one of the most sensitive axion detectors currently available. We provide the latest update on the sensitivity figures and discuss our pathway towards surpassing the current sensitivity limits in the mass range from 10^(-8) eV down to 10^(-16) eV. This involves implementing a squeezed light source and adjusting the measurement band via the resonance separation in our cavity.
We present a new scheme to enhance the quantum-limited bandwidth-sensitivity product of table-top position-sensitive interferometers. It is based on a recently proposed stable optomechanical PT-symmetric sensitivity enhancement technique. We extend this technique to tabletop-scaled systems by using the membrane-in-the-middle approach. We show that the sensitivity can be enhanced in a wide frequency range by using a silicon nitride membrane as the optomechanical component. We discuss the main experimental challenges, present the results of our experimental work on a proof-of-principle room-temperature demonstration of the effect and stability, and discuss the future upgrade of our setup for a fully quantum demonstration.
We present the design and status of a detector to search for axions and axion-like particles in the galactic halo using quantum-enhanced interferometry. The operating principle is related to previously reported ideas, but aims for axions in the mass range from 10−16 eV up to 10−8 eV. We also show how to apply squeezed states of light to enhance the sensitivity similar to the gravitational-wave detectors. This experiment has the potential to be further scaled up to a multi-kilometre long detector and to then set constraints of the axion-photon coupling coefficient of ∼ 10−18 GeV−1 for axion masses of 10−16 eV, or detect a signal.
Interferometric sensors provide an excellent opportunity for studying novel aspects of quantum mechanics. In this paper, we present the updated design for a suspended, cryogenically cooled table-top interferometer that can operate at the standard quantum limit of sensitivity. In this mode of operation, we will be able to probe aspects of macroscopic entanglement, quantum correlations, and semi-classical and quantum gravity models. We present the up-to-date experimental progress as well as the results of ongoing investigations.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.