Jonas Schäfer

Thermal Emission-Induced Decoherence in Levitated Optomechanics

Abstract

Using optical tweezers to levitate dielectric nanoparticles in ultra-high vacuum gives precise control over their motion, potentially enabling the creation of macroscopic superpositions and tests of the quantumness of gravity in tabletop experiments.

However, absorption from the controlling fields during preparation also heats up the particles internally, which leads to the emission of thermal radiation even if the controlling fields are switched off during an experimental run.

We predict how this affects the ability of these systems to display quantum signatures.

Fabian Thiemann

Engineering of Coherent Optical Phonons in Bismuth