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We report the measurement of the acoustic quality factor of a gram-scale, kilo-hertz frequency superfluid resonator, detected through the parametric coupling to a superconducting niobium microwave cavity. For temperature between 400mK and 50mK, we observe a $T^{-4}$ temperature dependence of the quality factor, consistent with a 3-phonon dissipation mechanism. We observe Q factors up to $1.4\cdot10^8$, consistent with the dissipation due to dilute $^3$He impurities, and expect that significant further improvements are possible. These experiments are relevant to exploring quantum behavior and decoherence of massive macroscopic objects, the laboratory detection of continuous wave gravitational waves from pulsars, and the probing of possible limits to physical length scales., Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures

Report of the first workshop to identify approaches and techniques in the domain of quantum sensing that can be utilized by future High Energy Physics applications to further the scientific goals of High Energy Physics.

We use a reservoir engineering technique based on two-tone driving to generate and stabilize a quantum squeezed state of a micron-scale mechanical oscillator in a microwave optomechanical system. Using an independent backaction evading measurement to directly quantify the squeezing, we observe $4.7\pm0.9$ dB of squeezing below the zero-point level, surpassing the 3 dB limit of standard parametric squeezing techniques. Our measurements also reveal evidence for an additional mechanical parametric effect. The interplay between this effect and the optomechanical interaction enhances the amount of squeezing obtained in the experiment.

Direct detection of gravitational waves is opening a new window onto our universe. Here, we study the sensitivity to continuous-wave strain fields of a kg-scale optomechanical system formed by the acoustic motion of superfluid helium-4 parametrically coupled to a superconducting microwave cavity. This narrowband detection scheme can operate at very high Q-factors, while the resonant frequency is tunable through pressurization of the helium in the 0.1–1.5 kHz range. The detector can therefore be tuned to a variety of astrophysical sources and can remain sensitive to a particular source over a long period of time. For thermal noise limited sensitivity, we find that strain fields on the order of h ~ 10^(-23)/√Hz are detectable. Measuring such strains is possible by implementing state of the art microwave transducer technology. We show that the proposed system can compete with interferometric detectors and potentially surpass the gravitational strain limits set by them for certain pulsar sources within a few months of integration time.

Aided by optical cavities and superconducting circuits, researchers are coaxing ever-larger objects to wiggle, shake, and flex in ways that are distinctly quantum mechanical.

Quantum physics challenges our understanding of the nature of physical reality and of space-time and suggests the necessity of radical revisions of their underlying concepts. Experimental tests of quantum phenomena involving massive macroscopic objects would provide novel insights into these fundamental questions. Making use of the unique environment provided by space, MAQRO aims at investigating this largely unexplored realm of macroscopic quantum physics. MAQRO has originally been proposed as a medium-sized fundamental-science space mission for the 2010 call of Cosmic Vision. MAQRO unites two experiments: DECIDE (DECoherence In Double-Slit Experiments) and CASE (Comparative Acceleration Sensing Experiment). The main scientific objective of MAQRO, which is addressed by the experiment DECIDE, is to test the predictions of quantum theory for quantum superpositions of macroscopic objects containing more than 10e8 atoms. Under these conditions, deviations due to various suggested alternative models to quantum theory would become visible. These models have been suggested to harmonize the paradoxical quantum phenomena both with the classical macroscopic world and with our notion of Minkowski space-time. The second scientific objective of MAQRO, which is addressed by the experiment CASE, is to demonstrate the performance of a novel type of inertial sensor based on optically trapped microspheres. CASE is a technology demonstrator that shows how the modular design of DECIDE allows to easily incorporate it with other missions that have compatible requirements in terms of spacecraft and orbit. CASE can, at the same time, serve as a test bench for the weak equivalence principle, i.e., the universality of free fall with test-masses differing in their mass by 7 orders of magnitude.

Cold, macroscopic mechanical systems are expected to behave contrary to our usual classical understanding of reality; the most striking and counterintuitive predictions involve the existence of states in which the mechanical system is located in two places simultaneously. Various schemes have been proposed to generate and detect such states, and all require starting from mechanical states that are close to the lowest energy eigenstate, the mechanical ground state. Here we report the cooling of the motion of a radio-frequency nanomechanical resonator by parametric coupling to a driven, microwave-frequency superconducting resonator. Starting from a thermal occupation of 480 quanta, we have observed occupation factors as low as 3.8 +/- 1.3 and expect the mechanical resonator to be found with probability 0.21 in the quantum ground state of motion. Further cooling is limited by random excitation of the microwave resonator and heating of the dissipative mechanical bath. This level of cooling is expected to make possible a series of fundamental quantum mechanical observations including direct measurement of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle and quantum entanglement with qubits.

Do the laws of quantum physics still hold for macroscopic objects - this is at the heart of Schr\"odinger's cat paradox - or do gravitation or yet unknown effects set a limit for massive particles? What is the fundamental relation between quantum physics and gravity? Ground-based experiments addressing these questions may soon face limitations due to limited free-fall times and the quality of vacuum and microgravity. The proposed mission MAQRO may overcome these limitations and allow addressing those fundamental questions. MAQRO harnesses recent developments in quantum optomechanics, high-mass matter-wave interferometry as well as state-of-the-art space technology to push macroscopic quantum experiments towards their ultimate performance limits and to open new horizons for applying quantum technology in space. The main scientific goal of MAQRO is to probe the vastly unexplored "quantum-classical" transition for increasingly massive objects, testing the predictions of quantum theory for truly macroscopic objects in a size and mass regime unachievable in ground-based experiments. The hardware for the mission will largely be based on available space technology. Here, we present the MAQRO proposal submitted in response to the (M4) Cosmic Vision call of the European Space Agency for a medium-size mission opportunity with a possible launch in 2025., Comment: 38 pages, 10 tables, 23 figures

Manipulation of a quantum squeeze The uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics dictates that even when a system is cooled to its ground state, there are still fluctuations. This zero-point motion is unavoidable but can be manipulated. Wollman et al. demonstrate such manipulation with the motion of a micrometer-sized mechanical system. By driving up the fluctuations in one of the variables of the system, they are able to squeeze the other related variable below the expected zero-point limit. Quantum squeezing will be important for realizing ultrasensitive sensors and detectors. Science , this issue p. 952

Quantum mechanics demands that the act of measurement must affect the measured object. When a linear amplifier is used to continuously monitor the position of an object, the Heisenberg uncertainty relationship requires that the object be driven by force impulses, called back-action. Here we measure the back-action of a superconducting single-electron transistor (SSET) on a radiofrequency nanomechanical resonator. The conductance of the SSET, which is capacitively coupled to the resonator, provides a sensitive probe of the latter's position;back-action effects manifest themselves as an effective thermal bath, the properties of which depend sensitively on SSET bias conditions. Surprisingly, when the SSET is biased near a transport resonance, we observe cooling of the nanomechanical mode from 550mK to 300mK-- an effect that is analogous to laser cooling in atomic physics. Our measurements have implications for nanomechanical readout of quantum information devices and the limits of ultrasensitive force microscopy (such as single-nuclear-spin magnetic resonance force microscopy). Furthermore, we anticipate the use of these backaction effects to prepare ultracold and quantum states of mechanical structures, which would not be accessible with existing technology., Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures; accepted for publication in Nature

By coupling a single-electron transistor to a high–quality factor, 19.7-megahertz nanomechanical resonator, we demonstrate position detection approaching that set by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle limit. At millikelvin temperatures, position resolution a factor of 4.3 above the quantum limit is achieved and demonstrates the near-ideal performance of the single-electron transistor as a linear amplifier. We have observed the resonator's thermal motion at temperatures as low as 56 millikelvin, with quantum occupation factors of N TH = 58. The implications of this experiment reach from the ultimate limits of force microscopy to qubit readout for quantum information devices.

Quantum electromechanical systems offer a unique opportunity to probe quantum noise properties in macroscopic devices, properties that ultimately stem from Heisenberg’s uncertainty relations. A simple example of this behavior is expected to occur in a microwave parametric transducer, where mechanical motion generates motional sidebands corresponding to the up-and-down frequency conversion of microwave photons. Because of quantum vacuum noise, the rates of these processes are expected to be unequal. We measure this fundamental imbalance in a microwave transducer coupled to a radio-frequency mechanical mode, cooled near the ground state of motion. We also discuss the subtle origin of this imbalance: depending on the measurement scheme, the imbalance is most naturally attributed to the quantum fluctuations of either the mechanical mode or of the electromagnetic field.

The physics of mesoscopic electronic systems has been explored for more than 15 years. Mesoscopic phenomena in transport processes occur when the wavelength or the coherence length of the carriers becomes comparable to, or larger than, the sample dimensions. One striking result in this domain is the quantization of electrical conduction, observed in a quasi-one-dimensional constriction formed between reservoirs of two-dimensional electron gas. The conductance of this system is determined by the number of participating quantum states or 'channels' within the constriction; in the ideal case, each spin-degenerate channel contributes a quantized unit of 2e^2/h to the electrical conductance. It has been speculated that similar behaviour should be observable for thermal transport in mesoscopic phonon systems. But experiments attempted in this regime have so far yielded inconclusive results. Here we report the observation of a quantized limiting value for the thermal conductance, G_(th), in suspended insulating nanostructures at very low temperatures. The behaviour we observe is consistent with predictions for phonon transport in a ballistic, one-dimensional channel: at low temperatures, G_(th) approaches a maximum value of g_0 = π^2k^2BT/3h, the universal quantum of thermal conductance.

During the theoretical investigation of the ultimate sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors through the 1970's and '80's, it was debated whether quantum fluctuations of the light field used for detection, also known as photon shot noise, would ultimately produce a force noise which would disturb the detector and limit the sensitivity. Carlton Caves famously answered this question with "They do." With this understanding came ideas how to avoid this limitation by giving up complete knowledge of the detector's motion. In these back-action evading (BAE) or quantum non-demolition (QND) schemes, one manipulates the required quantum measurement back-action by placing it into a component of the motion which is unobserved and dynamically isolated. Using a superconducting, electro-mechanical device, we realize a sensitive measurement of a single motional quadrature with imprecision below the zero-point fluctuations of motion, detect both the classical and quantum measurement back-action, and demonstrate BAE avoiding the quantum back-action from the microwave photons by 9 dB. Further improvements of these techniques are expected to provide a practical route to manipulate and prepare a squeezed state of motion with mechanical fluctuations below the quantum zero-point level, which is of interest both fundamentally and for the detection of very weak forces.

The ability to transport energy is a fundamental property of the two-dimensional Dirac fermions in graphene. Electronic thermal transport in this system is relatively unexplored and is expected to show unique fundamental properties and to play an important role in future applications of graphene, including opto-electronics, plasmonics, and ultra-sensitive bolometry. Here we present measurements of bipolar, electron-diffusion and electron-phonon thermal conductances, and infer the electronic specific heat, with a minimum value of 10 $k_{\rm{B}}$ ($10^{-22}$ JK$^{-1}$) per square micron. We test the validity of the Wiedemann-Franz law and find the Lorenz number equals $1.32\times(\pi^2/3)(k_{\rm{B}}/e)^2$. The electron-phonon thermal conductance has a temperature power law $T^2$ at high doping levels, and the coupling parameter is consistent with recent theory, indicating its enhancement by impurity scattering. We demonstrate control of the thermal conductance by electrical gating and by suppressing the diffusion channel using superconducting electrodes, which sets the stage for future graphene-based single microwave photon detection.

We investigate the low loss acoustic motion of superfluid $^4$He parametrically coupled to a very low loss, superconducting Nb, TE$_{011}$ microwave resonator, forming a gram-scale, sideband resolved, optomechanical system. We demonstrate the detection of a series of acoustic modes with quality factors as high as $7\cdot 10^6$. At higher temperatures, the lowest dissipation modes are limited by an intrinsic three phonon process. Acoustic quality factors approaching $10^{11}$ may be possible in isotopically purified samples at temperatures below 10 mK. A system of this type may be utilized to study macroscopic quantized motion and as an ultra-sensitive sensor of extremely weak displacements and forces, such as continuous gravity wave sources.

We have constructed an integrated superfluid oscillator using various silicon processing techniques, including micromachining and electron beam lithography. This device has the advantage of a very small internal volume (0.72 mm/sup 3/). This makes it insensitive to spurious external acoustic noise which has limited the performance of larger experiments. We have tested the performance of this device in two configurations, one with a single micro-aperture and another with an additional fine tube. Both configurations demonstrate macroscopic quantum phenomena in superfluid /sup 4/He at low temperatures (0.25 K

This study focuses on domain wall resistance in Ni_(80) Fe_(20) nanowires containing narrow constrictions down to 15 nm in width. Distinct differences in the magnetoresistance curves were found to depend on the constriction size. Wider constrictions are dominated by the overall anisotropic magnetoresistance of the structure, while constrictions narrower than ∼40 nm exhibit an additional distinct contribution from a domain wall. The effect is negative and typically varies from 1% to 5%.

We review a scheme for performing a back-action evading measurement of one mechanical quadrature in an optomechanical setup. The experimental application of this scheme has been limited by parametric instabilities caused in general by a slight dependence of the mechanical frequency on the electromagnetic energy in the cavity. We find that a simple modification to the optical drive can effectively eliminate the parametric instability even at high intracavity power, allowing realistic devices to achieve sub-zero-point uncertainties in the measured quadrature., Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure, accepted by Phys Rev A

Graphene is a material with remarkable electronic properties and exceptional thermal transport properties near room temperature, which have been well examined and understood. However at very low temperatures the thermodynamic and thermal transport properties are much less well explored and somewhat surprisingly, is expected to exhibit extreme thermal isolation. Here we demonstrate an ultra-sensitive, wide-bandwidth measurement scheme to probe the thermal transport and thermodynamic properties of the electron gas of graphene. We employ Johnson noise thermometry at microwave frequency to sensitively measure the temperature of the electron gas with resolution of $4 mK/\sqrt{Hz}$ and a bandwidth of 80 MHz. We have measured the electron-phonon coupling from 2-30 K at a charge density of $2\cdot 10^{11} cm^{-2}$. Utilizing bolometric mixing, we have sensed temperature oscillations with period of 430 ps and have determined the heat capacity of the electron gas to be $2\cdot 10^{-21} J/(K\cdot \mu m^2)$ at 5 K which is consistent with that of a two dimensional, Dirac electron gas. These measurements suggest that graphene-based devices together with wide bandwidth noise thermometry can generate substantial advances in the areas of ultra-sensitive bolometry, calorimetry, microwave and terahertz photo-detection, and bolometric mixing for applications in areas such as observational astronomy and quantum information and measurement., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

We provide a theoretical treatment of the quantum backaction of Larmor frequency measurements on a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate by an off-resonant light field. Two main results are presented; the first is a "quantum jump" operator description that reflects the abrupt change in the spin state of the atoms when a single photon is counted at a photodiode. The second is the derivation of a conditional stochastic master equation relating the evolution of the condensate density matrix to the measurement record. We comment on applications of this formalism to metrology and many-body studies., Comment: 4 pages + references, 2 figures, submitted to PRL

By fabricating a single-electron transistor onto a mechanical system in a high magnetic field, it is shown that one can manipulate both the mechanical spring constant and damping constant by adjusting a potential of a nearby gate electrode. The spring constant effect is shown to be usable to control the resonant frequency of silicon-based nanomechanical resonators, while an additional damping constant effect is relevant for the resonators built upon carbon nanotube or similar molecular-sized materials. This could prove to be a very convenient scheme to actively control the response of nanomechanical systems for a variety of applications including radio-frequency signal processing, ultrasensitive force detection, and fundamental physics explorations.

We study theoretically the dynamics of a hybrid optomechanical system consisting of a macroscopic mechanical membrane magnetically coupled to a spinor Bose-Einstein condensate via a nanomagnet attached at the membrane center. We demonstrate that this coupling permits us to monitor indirectly the center-of-mass position of the membrane via measurements of the spin of the condensed atoms. These measurements normally induce a significant backaction on the membrane motion, which we quantify for the cases of thermal and coherent initial states of the membrane. We discuss the possibility of measuring this quantum backaction via repeated measurements. We also investigate the potential to generate nonclassical states of the membrane, in particular Schrodinger-cat states, via such repeated measurements.

We demonstrate the parametric amplification and noise squeezing of nanomechanical motion utilizing dispersive coupling to a Cooper-pair box qubit. By modulating the qubit bias and resulting mechanical resonance shift, we achieve gain of 30 dB and noise squeezing of 4 dB. This qubit-mediated effect is 3000 times more effective than that resulting from the weak nonlinearity of capacitance to a nearby electrode. This technique may be used to prepare nanomechanical squeezed states.

When performing continuous measurements of position with sensitivity approaching quantum mechanical limits, one must confront the fundamental effects of detector back-action. Back-action forces are responsible for the ultimate limit on continuous position detection, can also be harnessed to cool the observed structure, and are expected to generate quantum entanglement. Back-action can also be evaded, allowing measurements with sensitivities that exceed the standard quantum limit, and potentially allowing for the generation of quantum squeezed states. We realize a device based on the parametric coupling between an ultra-low dissipation nanomechanical resonator and a microwave resonator. Here we demonstrate back-action evading (BAE) detection of a single quadrature of motion with sensitivity 4 times the quantum zero-point motion, back-action cooling of the mechanical resonator to n = 12 quanta, and a parametric mechanical pre-amplification effect which is harnessed to achieve position resolution a factor 1.3 times quantum zero-point motion., 19 pages (double-spaced) including 4 figures and references

We have cooled the motion of a radio-frequency nanomechanical resonator by parametric coupling to a driven microwave frequency superconducting resonator and have observed occupation factors as low as = 3.8 +/- 1.3. We expect to find the mechanical resonator in the quantum ground state of motion with probability 0.21. We have also identified three effects which limit further cooling and will comment on the prospect of producing colder states. Article not available.

The observation of the quantum states of motion of a macroscopic mechanical structure remains an open challenge in quantum-state preparation and measurement. One approach that has received extensive theoretical attention is the integration of superconducting qubits as control and detection elements in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). Here we report measurements of a NEMS resonator coupled to a superconducting qubit, a Cooper-pair box. We demonstrate that the coupling results in a dispersive shift of the nanomechanical frequency that is the mechanical analogue of the 'single-atom index effect' experienced by electromagnetic resonators in cavity quantum electrodynamics. The large magnitude of the dispersive interaction allows us to perform NEMS-based spectroscopy of the superconducting qubit, and enables observation of Landau–Zener interference effects—a demonstration of nanomechanical read-out of quantum interference.

The vast majority of the literature dealing with quantum dynamics is concerned with linear evolution of the wave function or the density matrix. A complete dynamical description requires a full understanding of the evolution of measured quantum systems, necessary to explain actual experimental results. The dynamics of such systems is intrinsically nonlinear even at the level of distribution functions, both classically as well as quantum mechanically. Aside from being physically more complete, this treatment reveals the existence of dynamical regimes, such as chaos, that have no counterpart in the linear case. Here, we present a short introductory review of some of these aspects, with a few illustrative results and examples.

It has long been recognized that the macroscopic quantum properties of superfluid helium could form the basis of a technique for measuring the state of absolute rotation of the containment vessel: circulation of superfluid helium is quantized, so providing a reference state of zero rotation with respect to inertial space. Here we provide experimental proof of this concept by detecting the rotation of the Earth using the spatial phase coherence of superfluid ^4He, thus providing independent corroboration of an earlier report that demonstrated the feasibility of making such a measurement. Our superfluid container is constructed on a centimetre-size silicon wafer, and has an essentially toroidal geometry but with the flow path interrupted by partition incorporating a sub-micrometre aperture. Rotation of the container induces a measurable flow velocity through the aperture in order to maintain coherence in the quantum phase of the super-fluid. Using this device, we determine the Earth's rotation rate to a precision of 0.5% with a measurement time of one hour, and argue that improvements in sensitivity of several orders of magnitude should be feasible.

In a recent Letter, Gaidarzhy et al. [1] claim to have observed evidence for "quantized displacements" of a high-order mode of a nanomechanical oscillator. We contend that the methods employed by the authors are unsuitable in principle to observe such states for any harmonic mode.

Recent experiments on quantum behavior in microfabricated solid-state systems suggest tantalizing connections to quantum optics. Several of these experiments address the prototypical problem of cavity quantum electrodynamics: a two-level system coupled to a quantum harmonic oscillator. Such devices may allow the exploration of parameter regimes outside the near-resonance and weak-coupling assumptions of the ubiquitous rotating-wave approximation (RWA), necessitating other theoretical approaches. One such approach is an adiabatic approximation in the limit that the oscillator frequency is much larger than the characteristic frequency of the two-level system. A derivation of the approximation is presented and the time evolution of the two-level-system occupation probability is calculated using both thermal- and coherent-state initial conditions for the oscillator. Closed-form evaluation of the time evolution in the weak-coupling limit provides insight into the differences between the thermal- and coherent-state models. Finally, potential experimental observations in solid-state systems, particularly the Cooper-pair box--nanomechanical resonator system, are discussed and found to be promising., 16 pages, 11 figures; revised abstract; some text revisions; added two figures and combined others; added references. Submitted to Phys. Rev. B

An enduring challenge for contemporary physics is to experimentally observe and control quantum behavior in macroscopic systems. We show that a single trapped atomic ion could be used to probe the quantum nature of a mesoscopic mechanical oscillator precooled to 4K, and furthermore, to cool the oscillator with high efficiency to its quantum ground state. The proposed experiment could be performed using currently available technology., 4 pages, 2 figures

Nanoelectromechanical structures are starting to approach the ultimate quantum mechanical limits for detecting and exciting motion at the nanoscale. Nonclassical states of a mechanical resonator are also on the horizon.

We analyze squeezing of the nanoresonator state produced by periodic measurement of position by a quantum point contact or a single-electron transistor. The mechanism of squeezing is the stroboscopic quantum nondemolition measurement generalized to the case of continuous measurement by a weakly coupled detector. The magnitude of squeezing is calculated for the harmonic and stroboscopic modulations of measurement, taking into account detector efficiency and nanoresonator quality factor. We also analyze the operation of the quantum feedback, which prevents fluctuations of the wavepacket center due to measurement back-action. Verification of the squeezed state can be performed in almost the same way as its preparation; similar procedure can also be used for the force detection with sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit., Comment: 20 pages, 10 eps figures

We show that the nanoresonator position can be squeezed significantly below the ground state level by measuring the nanoresonator with a quantum point contact or a single-electron transistor and applying a periodic voltage across the detector. The mechanism of squeezing is basically a generalization of quantum nondemolition measurement of an oscillator to the case of continuous measurement by a weakly coupled detector. The quantum feedback is necessary to prevent the ``heating'' due to measurement back-action. We also discuss a procedure of experimental verification of the squeezed state., 9 pages, 3 figures

Nano-electro-mechanical devices are now rapidly approaching the point where it will be possible to observe quantum mechanical behavior. However, for such behavior to be visible it is necessary to reduce the thermal motion of these devices down to temperatures in the millikelvin range. Here we consider the use of feedback control for this purpose. We analyze an experimentally realizable situation in which the position of the resonator is continuously monitored by a Single-Electron Transistor. Because the resonator is harmonic, it is possible to use a classical description of the measurement process, and we discuss both the quantum and classical descriptions. Because of this the optimal feedback algorithm can be calculated using classical control theory. We examine the quantum state of the controlled oscillator, and the achievable effective temperature. Our estimates indicate that with current experimental technology, feedback cooling is likely to bring the required milliKelvin temperatures within reach.

We have measured the dissipation and frequency of nanocrystalline-diamond nanomechanical resonators with resonant frequencies between 13.7 MHz and 157.3 MHz, over a temperature range of 1.4-274 K. Using both magnetomotive network analysis and a novel time-domain ring-down technique, we have found the dissipation in this material to have a temperature dependence roughly following T^0.2, with Q^-1 = 10^-4 at low temperatures. The frequency dependence of a large dissipation feature at ~35-55 K is consistent with thermal activation over a 0.02 eV barrier with an attempt frequency of 10 GHz., Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Applied Physics Letters

Cooled, low-loss nanomechanical resonators offer the prospect of directly observing the quantum dynamics of mesoscopic systems. However, the present state of the art requires cooling down to the milliKelvin regime in order to observe quantum effects. Here we present an active feedback strategy based on continuous observation of the resonator position for the purpose of obtaining these low temperatures. In addition, we apply this to an experimentally realizable configuration, where the position monitoring is carried out by a single-electron transistor. Our estimates indicate that with current technology this technique is likely to bring the required low temperatures within reach., 10 pages, RevTex4, 4 color eps figures

We show two effects as a result of considering the second-order correction to the spectrum of a nanomechanical resonator electrostatically coupled to a Cooper-pair box. The spectrum of the Cooper-pair box is modified in a way which depends on the Fock state of the resonator. Similarly, the frequency of the resonator becomes dependent upon the state of the Cooper-pair box. We consider whether these frequency shifts could be utilized to prepare the nanomechanical resonator in a Fock state, to perform a quantum non-demolition measurement of the resonator Fock state, and to distinguish the phase states of the Cooper-pair box.

We have developed specially designed semiconductor devices for the measurement of thermal conductance in suspended nanostructures. By means of a novel subtractive comparison, we are able to deduce the phonon thermal conductance of individual nanoscale beams of different geometry and dopant profiles. The separate roles of important phonon scattering mechanisms are analyzed and a quantitative estimation of their respective scattering rates is obtained using the Callaway model. Diffuse surface scattering proves to be particularly important in the temperature range from 4 to 40 K. The rates of other scattering mechanisms, arising from phonon-phonon, phonon-electron, and phonon-point defect interactions, also appear to be significantly higher in nanostructures than in bulk samples.

We analyse the quantum dynamics of a micromechanical resonator capacitively coupled to a Cooper box. With appropriate quantum state control of the Cooper box, the resonator can be driven into a superposition of spatially separated states. The Cooper box can also be used to probe the environmentally-induced decoherence of the resonator superposition state., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

We estimate the correction to the Cooper-pair box energy level splitting due to the quantum motion of a coupled micromechanical gate electrode. While the correction due to zero-point motion is very small, it should be possible to observe thermal motion-induced corrections to the photon-assisted tunneling current., Comment: To appear in Phonons 2001 Proceedings (Physica B)

CRYSTAL growth has attracted interest for centuries1. Three-dimensional crystals are usually faceted, but equilibrium thermodynamics prohibits faceting in two dimensions2: the one-dimensional perimeter of a two-dimensional crystal cannot exhibit long-range order at any non-zero temperature3. This need not, however, prevent facets from being stable dynamically during the growth process. Computer simulations have indeed produced nearly faceted two-dimensional crystals4,5. Here we describe the results of experiments on monolayers of a surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), at the surface of an aqueous solution. Surface-tension measurements and fluorescence microscopy6–8 reveal a solid–liquid transition in the surface monolayer at fixed SDS bulk concentration, as the temperature is decreased. At low SDS con-centration, faceted monolayer crystals appear, although increasing the concentration induces a change to smoother growth morpho-logies. The faceted crystals become unstable as growth proceeds, the corners emitting filaments of various shapes. Some of these growth processes seem not to have three-dimensional analogues.

We have developed the superfluid analog of the superconducting rf SQUID. Such a device is a quantum mechanically based, absolute gyroscope and has been used to sense the rotation of the Earth. Our device is fabricated using silicon processing techniques and forms a planer sensing loop of superfluid helium which couples to the applied rotation. A much more sensitive superfluid gyroscope based on the principle’s demonstrated with this device, might ultimately be used to detect the precession of our local inertial frame with respect to the fixed stars by the gravitomagnetic field of the rotating Earth. We compare the superfluid gyroscope against two other experiments aimed at detecting this general relativistic effect.

Critical superflow, preceding a free ringing superfluid oscillation, induces a remnant stochastic uncertainty in the oscillation amplitude. We demonstrate that the distribution function for the oscillation's velocity amplitude reflects both the quantized size of the underlying phase-slip dissipation events, as well as the stochastic nature of the processes which nucleate the slips.

We measure both the linear and nonlinear coupling between transverse modes in a nanomechanical resonator. The nonlinear coupling is due to the displacement dependent tension of the resonator and leads to a frequency shift (“pulling”) of each mode proportional to the square of the orthogonal mode's displacement amplitude. The linear coupling is apparent as an avoided crossing of the resonant frequencies that occurs when one electrostatically tunes the modes into degeneracy via a nearby DC gate. We consider the possibility that the linear coupling results from an electrostatic interaction and find that this effect can only partially explain the magnitude of the observed coupling. By measuring the coupled amplitudes magnetomotively at various angles to the applied field, we find that as the modes are tuned through the degeneracy point, they remain linearly polarized, while their planes of vibration rotate by 90°.

We show that the two-level systems (TLS) in lithographic superconducting circuits act as a power-dependent dielectric leading to non-linear responses in a parametrically coupled electromechanical system. Driven TLS shift the microwave resonance frequency and modulate the mechanical resonance through the optical spring effect. By pumping with two tones in a back-action evading measurement, these effects produce a mechanical parametric instability which limits single quadrature imprecision to 1.4 x_(zp). The microwave resonator noise is also consistent to a TLS-noise model. These observations suggest design strategies for minimizing TLS effects to improve ground-state cooling and quantum non-demolition measurements of motion.