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Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Force Spectroscopy of Single Protein Molecules Using an Atomic Force Microscope
Published on: February 28, 2019
Observation of back-action noise cancellation in interferometric and weak force measurements
T Caniard1, P Verlot, T Briant
1Laboratoire Kastler Brossel, ENS, UPMC, CNRS, case 74, 4 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France.
Abstract:
We experimentally demonstrate a cancellation of back-action noise in optical measurements. Back-action cancellation was first proposed within the framework of gravitational-wave detection by dual resonators as a way to drastically improve their sensitivity. We have developed an experiment based on a high-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity to study radiation-pressure effects in ultrasensitive displacement measurements. Using an intensity-modulated intracavity field to mimic the quantum radiation-pressure noise, we report the first observation of back-action cancellation due to a coherent mechanical response of the mirrors in the cavity to the radiation-pressure noise. We have observed a sensitivity improvement by a factor larger than 20 both in displacement and weak-force measurements.
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