Nanomechanics and Nanoelectronics for Measurements near Quantum Limits

用于接近量子极限测量的纳米力学和纳米电子学

• 批准号: 298185-2013
• 负责人: Knobel, Robert
• 金额: $ 1.97万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=571447
• 关键词: Nanomechanics; Nanoelectronics; Measurements; near; Quantum

New technology has enabled researchers to make movable structures with dimensions only tens of nanometers (hundreds of atoms) in size, called nanomechanical devices. These can form new sensors with unprecedented sensitivity, such as microscopes that detect the magnetic force due a single atom. To reach the sensitivity needed for some applications, the devices are actually almost as sensitive the ultimate limit of sensitivity. Quantum mechanics - the physical laws that govern the behaviour of atoms and molecules - tells us that making a measurement of the motion of a nanomechanical device must change the motion. This "back-action" must ultimately limit how sensitive our measurement can be. Robert Knobel and his team of students and colleagues are working to make nanomechanical devices that are very close to this limit. They do this by making careful electrical measurements of coupled systems, by cooling down the whole system to nearly absolute zero, by making the mechanical systems out of single-atom-thick material. The outcome of this research is useful in two ways: first we want to understand what the limits of mechanical measurement are. What do we have to do in order to have our devices work as well as theoretical physicists predict? Second, making a device this sensitive could enable new real-world applications. Detecting the magnetic force due to a single atom could allow perfect reconstruction of, for instance, a protein, enabling drug discovery and diagnosis.

新技术使研究人员能够用尺寸（数百个原子）的尺寸（称为纳米力学设备）制造可移动结构。这些可以形成具有前所未有的灵敏度的新传感器，例如显微镜，这些显微镜检测到归因于单个原子的磁力。 为了达到某些应用所需的灵敏度，这些设备实际上几乎是敏感性的最终限制。 量子力学 - 控制原子和分子行为的物理定律 - 告诉我们，对纳米力学装置的运动进行测量必须改变运动。 这种“反作用”最终必须限制我们的测量值的敏感程度。 罗伯特·诺贝尔（Robert Knobel）和他的学生和同事团队正在努力制造非常接近此限制的纳米力学设备。 他们通过对耦合系统进行仔细的电气测量，通过使整个系统将机械系统从单原子厚的材料中降低到几乎绝对零来做到这一点。 这项研究的结果在两种方面都有用：首先，我们想了解机械测量的限制。 为了让我们的设备以及理论物理学家预测，我们该怎么办？ 其次，制造设备这种敏感可以启用新的现实应用程序。 检测由于单个原子而引起的磁力可以使人完美地重建蛋白质，从而实现药物发现和诊断。