Quantum squeezing of a levitated nanomechanical oscillator

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kamba, Mitsuyoshi; Hara, Naoki; Aikawa, Kiyotaka
• 署名单位: University of Tokyo
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-10875
• DOI: 10.1126/science.ady4652
• 发表日期: 2025-09-18
• 页码: 1225-1228
• 关键词: parametric amplification; nanoparticle; INFORMATION

摘要

Manipulating the motion of macroscopic objects near their quantum mechanical uncertainties has been desired in diverse fields, including fundamental physics, sensing, and transducers. Despite progress in ground-state cooling of a levitated solid particle, realizing its nonclassical states has been elusive. Here, we demonstrate quantum squeezing of the motion of a single nanoparticle by rapidly varying its oscillation frequency. We reveal appreciable narrowing of the velocity variance to -4.9 +/- 0.1 decibels of that of the ground state using free-expansion measurements. Our work shows that a levitated nanoparticle offers an ideal platform for studying nonclassical states of its motion and provides a route to developing applications in quantum sensing and exploring quantum mechanics at a macroscopic scale.