Rotational Spin-Optomechanics in an Ion Trap

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General audience abstract:As it becomes more and more challenging to increase the energy of particle accelerators to explore new physics, precision measurements provide an attractive approach to probe fundamental questions in physics. Levitated dielectric particles in high vacuum are ultrasensitive devices and have the potential to test the limits of quantum mechanics and to search for dark matter and dark energy. This project will develop an ultrasensitive levitated system with a nanodiamond in an ion trap. A levitated nanodiamond with a built-in spin qubit can be considered as a massive artificial atom. It will be used to study the quantum geometric phase due to fast rotation and to develop a rotational nanoparticle matter-wave interferometer for precision measurements and macroscopic quantum mechanics. The project will support the training of graduate students during the research. Essential research results will be integrated into the course taught by the PI for senior undergraduate students and graduate students. The PI will co-organize “Nanodays” and “Physics Inside Out” outreach events for K-12 students near Purdue University, and cooperate with other professionals to do outreach that combines science, art, and other fields to convey science to broad audiences.Technical audience abstract:This project will investigate rotational spin-optomechanics with a levitated nanodiamond in an ion trap. Theoretical investigations have suggested that a nanodiamond matter-wave interferometer would potentially test the limits of quantum mechanics and probe quantum gravity. However, a significant obstacle to creating quantum superposition states of an optically levitated nanodiamond is laser heating. In this project, the PI’s group will address this critical issue by using an ion trap to minimize heating and optical refrigeration to cool the internal temperature of a nanodiamond. A nanodiamond with a built-in spin qubit will be driven to rotate at high speed for studying both adiabatic and non-adiabatic quantum geometric phases. Besides, a non-Abelian 3D rotation will provide the opportunity to study the non-Abelian geometric phase. The system developed in this project will be important for quantum sensing and fundamental physics. This project will build on the recent accomplishments of the PI’s group, which has observed electron spin resonance of optically levitated nanodiamonds in a vacuum, driven a nanoparticle to rotate at a record high speed and created an ultrasensitive torque detector.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.