Towards Matterwave Interferometry With Levitated Nanoparticles and Tests of Gravity at Short Distances

by Mr. Andrew Dana

Northwestern University

at Quantum optics seminar

Wed, 23 Apr 2025, 16:00
Zoom only

Abstract

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84793396892?pwd=kxi3ovqgIYUqj0mRaCgXFAZX9KPro0.1

Abstract:
Optical levitation in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) and cryogenic environments provides a platform potentially capable of providing quantum coherences of tens to hundreds of milliseconds for objects such as silica nano-spheres. Demonstration of matter-wave interference with optically levitated nanospheres has the potential to extend the current limit on matter-wave interference by three to four orders of magnitude, pushing the experimental limits on matter-wave duality. This would provide pathways towards the realization of gravity-induced entanglement experiments and tests of decoherence and wave function collapse models. To preserve a coherence time of approximately 200ms, experimental challenges such as near ground state cooling of the particle's center of mass motion, pressures below 10-13mbar, internal temperatures below 100K, and relative position stability on the order of tens of nanometers must be overcome. This apparatus additionally allows for ultra-sensitive measurements of short-range forces enabling tests of the Casimir-Polder force and possible corrections to Newtonian gravity in the sub-micron regime. In this talk, I will present the progress being made towards performing short range force measurements on the path towards a macroscopic matterwave interferometer.

Created on 19-04-2025 by Folman, Ron (folman)
Updaded on 19-04-2025 by Folman, Ron (folman)