Backaction-evading receivers with magnetomechanical and electromechanical sensors
Journal article, 2024

Today's mechanical sensors are capable of detecting extremely weak perturbations while operating near the standard quantum limit. However, further improvements can be made in both sensitivity and bandwidth when we reduce the noise originating from the process of measurement itself - the quantum-mechanical backaction of measurement - and go below this 'standard' limit, possibly approaching the Heisenberg limit. One of the ways to eliminate this noise is by measuring a quantum nondemolition variable such as the momentum in a free-particle system. Here, we propose and characterize theoretical models for direct velocity measurement that utilize traditional electric and magnetic transducer designs to generate a signal while enabling this backaction evasion. We consider the general readout of this signal via electric or magnetic field sensing by creating toy models analogous to the standard optomechanical position-sensing problem, thereby facilitating the assessment of measurement-added noise. Using simple models that characterize a wide range of transducers, we find that the choice of readout scheme - voltage or current - for each mechanical detector configuration implies access to either the position or velocity of the mechanical subsystem. This in turn suggests a path forward for key fundamental physics experiments such as the direct detection of dark matter particles.

Author

Brittany Richman

University of Maryland

Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science

Sohitri Ghosh

University of Maryland

Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Daniel Carney

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Gerard Higgins

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Technology

Osterreichische Akademie Der Wissenschaften

Peter Shawhan

University of Maryland

C. J. Lobb

University of Maryland

Jacob M. Taylor

University of Maryland

Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Physical Review Research

26431564 (ISSN)

Vol. 6 2 023141

Testing quantum physics in uncharted territory using a magneto-mechanical oscillator

Swedish Research Council (VR) (2020-00381), 2020-07-01 -- 2023-06-30.

Subject Categories

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.023141

More information

Latest update

5/29/2024