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Squeezing of Quantum Noise of Motion in a Micromechanical Resonator
J-M Pirkkalainen1, E Damskägg1, M Brandt1
1Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, P.O. Box 11100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
Abstract:
A pair of conjugate observables, such as the quadrature amplitudes of harmonic motion, have fundamental fluctuations that are bound by the Heisenberg uncertainty relation. However, in a squeezed quantum state, fluctuations of a quantity can be reduced below the standard quantum limit, at the cost of increased fluctuations of the conjugate variable. Here we prepare a nearly macroscopic moving body, realized as a micromechanical resonator, in a squeezed quantum state. We obtain squeezing of one quadrature amplitude 1.1±0.4 dB below the standard quantum limit, thus achieving a long-standing goal of obtaining motional squeezing in a macroscopic object.
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