Speaker
Description
Many of the breakthroughs in quantum science and technology rely on engineering strong Hamiltonian interactions between quantum systems. Typically, strong coupling relies on short-range forces or on placing the systems in high-quality electromagnetic resonators, which restricts the range of the coupling to short distances. We show how a loop of laser light can generate Hamiltonian coupling over a distance and report experiments using this approach to strongly couple a nanomechanical membrane oscillator and an ultracold atomic spin ensemble across one meter in a room-temperature environment [1]. We observe spin-membrane normal mode splitting, coherent energy exchange oscillations, two-mode thermal noise squeezing, dissipative coupling with exceptional points, and coherent feedback cooling of the membrane [1,2,3]. Our experiments demonstrate the versatility and flexibility of light-mediated interactions, a powerful tool for building hybrid quantum systems that offers many further possiblities and is readily applicable to a variety of different systems.
[1] T. M. Karg, B. Gouraud, C. T. Ngai, G.-L. Schmid, K. Hammerer, and P. Treutlein, Light-mediated strong coupling between a mechanical oscillator and atomic spins one meter apart, Science 369, 174 (2020).
[2] G.-L. Schmid, C. T. Ngai, M. Ernzer, M. Bosch Aguilera, T. M. Karg, and P. Treutlein, Coherent feedback cooling of a nanomechanical membrane with atomic spins, Phys. Rev. X 12, 011020 (2022).
[3] M. Ernzer, M. Bosch Aguilera, M. Brunelli, G.-L. Schmid, T. M. Karg, C. Bruder, P. P. Potts, and P. Treutlein, Optical coherent feedback control of a mechanical oscillator, Phys. Rev. X 13, 021023 (2023).
