INSPIRE: Atom-Mediated Optomechanical System for Macroscopic Quantum Control and Sensing

该INSPIRE奖的部分资金来自数学和物理科学理事会物理部的原子、分子和光学（AMO）物理项目，以及工程理事会电气、通信和网络系统（ECCS）部门的电子、光子学和磁性器件项目。该项目的目标是实现一种用于量子控制和传感的新型混合光力学系统。该系统由超冷量子气体与微环形谐振器的光学和机械模式强耦合组成。该项目将微机电系统工程、纳米制造和原子物理学的概念结合在一起，为一种创新的光机械设备的量子限制控制、操纵和读出打造一个混合量子系统。该设备的变革性质包括在亚微开尔文温度下推动超冷原子捕获和操作的前沿，通过为宏观机械模式的量子特性的测量、操作和研究提供新工具，利用光力学系统的本质，并最终开发出一种重要的传感器新技术，可以为旋转传感器带来前所未有的精度，例如，显著改进陀螺仪。该计划的智力优点是实现了一个强耦合量子系统，该系统结合了超冷原子气体的相干性和灵敏度以及微机械装置的鲁棒性。这种混合系统的成功演示是量子信息科学和传感器技术中最重要的开放挑战之一。所研究的架构为系统研究关键科学问题铺平了道路，包括量子气体控制和提高微机电力传感器灵敏度的能力。该计划的更广泛的影响是从机电设备工程和超冷原子物理的智力不同领域的强大概念的统一。除了回答关于量子系统与宏观机械系统相互作用的基本问题外，所提出的系统是一种应用技术，包括惯性导航系统，紧凑集成频率标准，超灵敏力传感器和量子信息科学。

This INSPIRE award is partially funded by the Atomic, Molecular and Optical (AMO) Physics Program in the Physics Division of the Mathematical and Physical Science Directorate and the Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices Program of the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) in the Directorate for Engineering.The objective of this project is the realization of a novel hybrid optomechanical system for quantum control and sensing. This system consists of an ultracold quantum gas strongly coupled to the optical and mechanical modes of a microtoroidal resonator. The project brings together concepts of micro-electromechanical systems engineering, nanofabrication and atomic physics to forge a hybrid quantum system for the quantum-limited control, manipulation and readout of an innovative optomechanical device. The transformative nature of this device includes pushing the frontier of ultra-cold atom trapping and manipulation at sub-microKelvin temperatures, exploiting the nature of optomechanical systems by providing a new tool for the measurement, manipulation and study of quantum properties of macroscopic mechanical modes and, ultimately, developing an important new technology for sensors that could lead to unprecedented precision for a rotation sensor that would, for example, significantly improve gyroscopes.The intellectual merit of this program is the realization of a strongly coupled quantum system that combines the coherence and sensitivity of ultracold atomic gases with the robustness of a micromechanical device. The successful demonstration of such hybrid systems is one of the most significant open challenges in quantum information science and sensor technology. The architecture under study paves the way for a systematic study of key scientific issues including the ability of a quantum gas to control and enhance the sensitivity of micro-electromechanical force sensors.The broader impact of this program is the unification of powerful concepts from the intellectually distinct domains of Electromechanical device engineering and ultracold atomic physics. In addition to answering fundamental questions regarding the interaction of quantum systems with macroscopic mechanical systems, the proposed system is an enabling technology for applications including inertial navigation systems, compact integrated frequency standards, ultrasensitive force sensors and quantum information science.