Next-generation ultralow-noise mechanical sensors defined and controlled by light

由光定义和控制的下一代超低噪声机械传感器

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-05635
• 负责人: Sankey, Jack
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=664253
• 关键词: Next; generation; ultralow; noise; mechanical

Mechanical technologies are everywhere in society, from oscillators in timekeeping devices to accelerometers and electronic filters in automobiles and cell phones. They also represent an indispensable tool for fundamental and applied science: using tiny mechanical systems, it is possible to "feel around" surfaces at the atomic scale, detect chemical mass changes with single-proton resolution, and sense element-specific magnetic "tugs" from nanoscale clusters of nuclei (even creating a 3d map). In the field of optomechanics, we have learned to exploit the forces exerted by light to gain an unprecedented level of control over these systems at all size scales, leading to entirely new functionalities for next-generation sensors, including those in which the laws of quantum mechanics play a central role. ******Our research aims to realise ultralow-noise micromechanical sensors that are reconfigured and controlled by light in unique ways. To this end, we fabricate delicate "micro-trampolines" exhibiting a world-record combination of force sensitivity and optical performance, such that the radiation force from an average of just one photon -- the smallest quantity of light allowed by nature -- will exert a profound influence over their mechanical trajectories. Here we propose to capitalise upon this breakthrough to demonstrate strong single-photon control, access quantum states of motion, and generate quantum "squeezed" light useful for enhancing interferometers (such as those used to detect gravitational waves). Additionally, by partially levitating related mechanical elements, we will even further enhance their sensitivities by essentially replacing their primary mechanical supports with light (a low-noise alternative to flexible materials). Finally, we will pursue a qualitatively new system in which light strongly controls the spatial distribution of oscillating mass: by optically perturbing a periodic structure ("phononic crystal"), we can smoothly tune the spatial extent of oscillating mass from the centimetre scale to the micron scale in situ -- a level of control that is currently unheard of. Furthermore, due to a collective enhancement effect, a larger device is predicted to exhibit a larger response to a given quantity of light (despite its larger mass) enabling a truly macroscopic response to single-photon light levels in a chip-scale device. In addition to creating new types of reconfigurable mechanical sensing technologies, these complementary efforts build toward fundamental studies of quantum motion at the macro scale, mechanical transduction of quantum information between a variety of "quantum bit" ("qubit") technologies and light (e.g., for long-distance quantum-secured communication), and the detection of zeptonewton forces (equivalent to the gravitational pull between two loaves of bread separated by 100 km).

机械技术在社会上无处不在，从计时设备中的振荡器到汽车和手机中的加速计和电子过滤器。它们还代表着基础科学和应用科学不可或缺的工具：使用微小的机械系统，可以在原子尺度上“感觉”表面，以单质子分辨率探测化学质量变化，并从纳米尺度的原子核簇中感知特定于元素的磁性“拖拽”(甚至可以创建3D地图)。在光力学领域，我们已经学会了利用光施加的力来获得对所有大小系统的前所未有的控制，从而为下一代传感器带来了全新的功能，包括那些量子力学定律发挥核心作用的传感器。*我们的研究旨在实现超低噪声微机械传感器，这种传感器可以通过独特的方式重新配置和受光控制。为此，我们制造了精细的“微型蹦床”，展示了力敏感性和光学性能的世界纪录组合，以至于平均只有一个光子的辐射力--自然界允许的最小光量--将对它们的机械轨迹产生深远的影响。在这里，我们建议利用这一突破来展示强大的单光子控制，访问运动的量子状态，并产生有助于增强干涉仪(如用于探测引力波的干涉仪)的量子“压缩”光。此外，通过部分悬浮相关的机械元件，我们甚至将进一步提高它们的灵敏度，从根本上用光(柔性材料的一种低噪音替代方案)取代它们的主要机械支撑。最后，我们将追求一种定性的新系统，在该系统中，光强烈地控制振荡质量的空间分布：通过光学微扰周期性结构(“声子晶体”)，我们可以在原地将振荡质量的空间范围从厘米尺度平滑地调节到微米尺度--这是目前闻所未闻的控制水平。此外，由于集体增强效应，预计较大的器件将对给定的光量(尽管其质量较大)表现出更大的响应，从而能够对芯片级器件中的单光子光级做出真正的宏观响应。除了创造新型的可重新配置的机械传感技术外，这些相辅相成的努力还包括在宏观尺度上对量子运动进行基础研究，在各种“量子比特”(“量子比特”)技术和光之间进行量子信息的机械传输(例如，用于远距离量子保密通信)，以及探测zeptonewton力(相当于相距100公里的两条面包之间的引力)。