Cooling of a levitated nanoparticle to the motional quantum ground state

TLDR

Cooling massive particles to the quantum ground state enables fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and provides a probe of the classical‑quantum boundary, while levitated optical trapping allows switching to free fall for macroscopic quantum experiments. The authors laser‑cooled a 150‑nm silica nanoparticle in an optical trap from room temperature to its motional quantum ground state. The nanoparticle was successfully brought to its motional quantum ground state, demonstrating ground‑state cooling from room temperature. Delić et al., Science, this issue, p.

Abstract

A nanoparticle trapped and cooled Cooling massive particles to the quantum ground state allows fundamental tests of quantum mechanics to be made; it would provide an experimental probe of the boundary between the classical and quantum worlds. Delić et al. laser-cooled an optically trapped solid-state object (a ∼150-nanometer-diameter silic a nanoparticle) into its quantum ground state of motion starting from room temperature. Because the object is levitated using optical forces, the experimental configuration can be switched to free fall, thereby providing a test bed for several macroscopic quantum experiments. Science , this issue p. 892