Levitodynamic sensors for fundamental and applied physics

by Prof. Peter Barker

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London

at Physics Colloquium

Tue, 19 Nov 2024, 12:00
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Abstract

Optically levitated nanoparticles cooled to the ground state of a confining optical potential represent a new quantum system that has applications in both fundamental and applied physics. In this talk I will describe our work that has developed methods for simultaneously cooling the rotational and translation modes of non-spherical particles using coherent scattering within a high finesse optical cavity.  I will then outline a new non-intrusive characterization method for nanoparticles, based on the measurement of their rotational and oscillatory motion when optically levitated at low pressure. Here, morphology and size differences as small as a few nanometers can be resolved using this technique offering a new optical spectroscopic tool for non-contact characterization of single nanoparticles in the absence of a substrate. Lastly, I will describe more recent work that is developing a directional force sensor to test composite dark matter models using levitated nanoparticles in vacuum.

Created on 27-10-2024 by Maniv, Eran (eranmaniv)
Updaded on 13-11-2024 by Maniv, Eran (eranmaniv)