LeviNet - Levitation Network for Advanced Quantum Technologies

** 微机械系统在量子通信和传感技术中发挥着关键作用。它们的灵敏度和一致性随着它们由于耗散到环境中而收缩而迅速降低。悬浮打破了这条途径，允许自由量子进化和极端敏感性。2018年，亚瑟·阿什金因光镊的发展而被联合授予诺贝尔物理学奖;光镊是一种利用光控制微观物体运动的技术。适用范围从单个原子，通过纳米和微米粒子，到生物物体，如细胞。这项技术已经使原子气体的量子控制成为可能，现在用于尖端的重力和磁场传感器，光学镊子在医学科学中无处不在，例如用于测试糖尿病。2010年，英国，美国和奥地利的团体同时提出，应该可以控制纳米颗粒，使用聚焦激光束悬浮在真空中，以至于它们会进入量子体系。这将是一个令人震惊的壮举，因为纳米物体比任何其他显示量子行为的物体都要大很多个数量级。在最初的提议提出整整10年后，LeviNet成员通过实验实现了这一目标。将大质量物体（与原子相比）冷却到量子状态的愿望是双重的：它开辟了探索基础量子物理学的道路，并且由于它们的行为像机械振荡器，它们可以参与先进的量子技术。光学捕获粒子的精确控制被称为悬浮光学机械学。英国对这一不断发展的学科表示了大力支持，在全球6500万英镑的投资中投资了1400万英镑。随着世界各地的团体实现量子悬浮系统，并开发强大的支持技术，关键是英国通过集中和密集的知识共享计划，在量子应用方面仍然是决定性的参与者。LeviNet汇集了世界上所有的关键参与者来实现这一目标。通过提供全体成员会议，将传达关键信息，并建立研究人员和行业之间的新合作。具体问题将作为一个社区在讲习班和为期一天的在线焦点小组中解决。年轻的研究人员将有机会通过参加其他研究小组的短期科学任务来学习新技能和分享知识。

** Micro-mechanical systems play a key role in quantum communication & sensing technologies. Their sensitivity & coherence rapidly degrade as they shrink due to dissipation to the environment. Levitation breaks this pathway, allowing free quantum evolution & extreme sensitivity.**In 2018, Arthur Ashkin was joint-awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for the development of optical tweezers; a technique for controlling the motion of microscopic objects using light. The applicability ranges from single atoms, through nano- and micro-particles, to biological objects such as cells. This technology has enables the quantum control of gases of atoms, which are now used in cutting-edge gravity- and magnetic field- sensors, and optical tweezers are ubiquitous in the medical sciences for example to test for diabetes.In 2010, groups in the UK, USA and Austria simultaneously proposed that it should be possible to control nanoparticles, levitated in a vacuum using focussed laser beams, so well that they would enter the quantum regime. This would be an astounding feat, since nano-objects are many orders of magnitude larger than any other object to have displayed quantum behaviour. Exactly 10 years after the initial proposal, this goal was experimentally realised by LeviNet members. The desirability of cooling massive objects (compared to atoms) to the quantum regime is two-fold: it opens the path to exploring fundamental quantum physics, and since they behave as mechanical oscillators they can participate in advanced quantum technologies. The precision control of optically trapped particles is known as levitated optomechanics. The UK has shown strong support for this growing discipline, investing £14M of a global £65M investment. As groups around the world realise quantum levitated systems, and develop robust supporting technologies, it is key that the UK remains a decisive player at this point of proven quantum application, through a focussed and intensive programme of knowledge-sharing. LeviNet brings together all the key players in the world to realise this goal. Key information will be communicated, and new collaborations between researchers and industry founded, through the provision of all-member conferences. Specific problems will be tackled as a community at workshops and 1-day online focus-groups. Younger researchers will get the opportunity to learn new skills and share knowledge by participating in short scientific missions to other research groups.