"Exploiting Mechanical Properties of Light: Photon-Supported Micromechanical Resonators, Quantum Vibrations, and Applications"

“利用光的机械特性：光子支持的微机械谐振器、量子振动和应用”

• 批准号: 418459-2012
• 负责人: Sankey, Jack
• 金额: $ 2.7万
• 依托单位: McGill 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=573667
• 关键词: Exploiting; Mechanical; Properties; Light; Photon

The central goal of my research program is to develop new types of sensitive micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) controlled by photons. I am particularly interested in realizing MEMS supported primarily by optical forces, thereby replacing traditional mechanical materials with light. Such devices should overcome the limitations of current MEMS materials and achieve an unprecedented level of mechanical coherence (e.g. ringing at 500 kHz for weeks when struck). As a result, they should be capable of achieving sub-zeptonewton force sensitivity, detecting the mass of a single proton, and exhibiting coherent quantum motion. The program initially comprises three major goals. The first is to realize optically-supported MEMS by applying strong optical traps to specially-fabricated mechanical elements, such that their dynamics are completely dominated by optical forces. The performance of these devices should surpass that of the best existing MEMS, and the trapping techniques will also enable fundamental studies of dissipation in traditional mechanical materials. The second goal is to develop compact, fibre optical microcavities in order to reduce the size of these systems and significantly enhance the photon-MEMS coupling. The resulting devices will allow us to access a substantially larger space of optomechanical parameters using a less cumbersome, fibre-based package. The third goal is to cryogenically cool these systems, suppressing thermal fluctuations sufficiently to observe highly coherent quantum effects in the the motion of solid mechanical elements. This cryogenic environment will also enable significantly more sensitive force and mass detection in the future. In the longer term, I envision using these optically-controlled MEMS to construct new types of scanned force detectors and photonic devices (potentially operating at the quantum limit), as well as to shuttle quantum information between qubits (either directly or remotely via photons in a fibre). This Discovery Grant will fund the core operating costs of the entire research program over the next five years.

我的研究计划的核心目标是开发由光子控制的新型敏感的微电动系统（MEMS）。我特别有兴趣实现主要由光学力支持的MEM，从而用光代替传统的机械材料。此类设备应克服当前的MEMS材料的局限性，并达到前所未有的机械连贯性水平（例如，在撞车时在500 kHz时振铃几周）。结果，它们应能够实现亚Zeptonewton力敏感性，检测单个质子的质量并表现出相干量子运动。 该计划最初包括三个主要目标。首先是通过将强光学陷阱应用于特殊的机械元件来实现光支持的MEM，以使它们的动力学完全由光学力支配。这些设备的性能应超过现有的最佳内存，并且诱捕技术还将使传统机械材料中的耗散基本研究。第二个目标是开发紧凑的光纤微腔，以减少这些系统的尺寸并显着增强光子MEMS耦合。最终的设备将使我们能够使用基于纤维的软件包访问大量的光力学参数空间。第三个目标是冷冻冷却这些系统，从而充分抑制热波动，以观察固体机械元件的运动中高度连贯的量子效应。这种低温环境还将在将来能够显着敏感的力和质量检测。 从长远来看，我设想使用这些光学控制的MEMS来构建新型的扫描力探测器和光子设备（可能在量子极限下运行），以及在量子器之间（直接或通过光子通过光子中的光子中的光子）在量子上穿梭量子信息纤维）。 这项发现赠款将在未来五年内为整个研究计划的核心运营成本提供资金。