Observation of a kilogram-scale oscillator near its quantum ground state

dc.contributor.authorAbbott, B.
dc.contributor.authorAbbott, R.
dc.contributor.authorAdhikari, R.
dc.contributor.authorAjith, P.
dc.contributor.authorAllen, B.
dc.contributor.authorAllen, G.
dc.contributor.authorAmin, R.
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, S.
dc.contributor.authorAnderson, W.
dc.contributor.authorArain, M.
dc.contributor.authorAraya, M.
dc.contributor.authorArmandula, H.
dc.contributor.authorArmor, P.
dc.contributor.authorAso, Y.
dc.contributor.authorAston, S.
dc.contributor.authorAufmuth, P.
dc.contributor.authorAulbert, C.
dc.contributor.authorBabak, S.
dc.contributor.authorBallmer, S.
dc.contributor.authorBantilan, H.
dc.contributor.authoret al.
dc.date.issued2009
dc.description.abstractWe introduce a novel cooling technique capable of approaching the quantum ground state of a kilogram-scale system—an interferometric gravitational wave detector. The detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) operate within a factor of 10 of the standard quantum limit (SQL), providing a displacement sensitivity of 10−18 m in a 100 Hz band centered on 150 Hz. With a new feedback strategy, we dynamically shift the resonant frequency of a 2.7 kg pendulum mode to lie within this optimal band, where its effective temperature falls as low as 1.4 μK, and its occupation number reaches about 200 quanta. This work shows how the exquisite sensitivity necessary to detect gravitational waves can be made available to probe the validity of quantum mechanics on an enormous mass scale.
dc.description.statementofresponsibilityB. Abbott... D. J. Hosken... J. Munch... P. J. Veitch...et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration)
dc.identifier.citationNew Journal of Physics, 2009; 11(7):073032-1-073032-13
dc.identifier.doi10.1088/1367-2630/11/7/073032
dc.identifier.issn1367-2630
dc.identifier.issn1367-2630
dc.identifier.orcidOttaway, D. [0000-0001-6794-1591]
dc.identifier.orcidVeitch, P. [0000-0002-2597-435X]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/56483
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInstitute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
dc.relation.grantARC
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/11/7/073032
dc.titleObservation of a kilogram-scale oscillator near its quantum ground state
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

Files