Pursuing Quantum Mechanics in Mechanical Structures

Wed
10/27/2010
4:15pm
RLM 4.102
Physics Department Colloquium - Keith Schwab
California Institute of Technology
Pursuing Quantum Mechanics in Mechanical Structures
 
Over 30 years ago researchers investigating the ultimate limits
of mechanical detection of gravitational waves understood theoretically
how quantum mechanics would appear in these ultra-sensitive mechanical
measurements.  In the past 10 years the tools to prepare micron-scale
mechanical structures in fundamental quantum states has been rapidly
developed, using both optical and electrical techniques.  In this lecture
I will give an overview of the state of the art, from experiments in my
group and around the world, focusing on the recent experiments to prepare
the quantum ground state of motion and the success to produce superposition
states in the laboratory.