Scientists from the Swiss Polytechnic Institute in Lausanne (EPFL) have made a significant breakthrough in the technology of quantum mechanical oscillators. They have created an optomechanical platform that demonstrates ultra-efficient quantum decoherence and high-precision quantum control.
The study is based on the development of the “Vacuum-Gap Drumhead Capacitor”, which has led to the longest time for maintaining the quantum state in a mechanical oscillator. This breakthrough opens up new opportunities in the field of quantum computing and sensor creation. By connecting the oscillators to photons and chilling them to the quantum limit, new horizons in quantum physics are now within reach.
One of the challenges in managing optomechanical systems is finding the right balance between isolating the oscillators from the environment to minimize energy loss and binding them with other physical systems such as electromagnetic resonators.
The key element in this breakthrough is the vacuum-gap drumhead capacitor, which reduces mechanical losses significantly. It achieves thermal decoherence of only 20 Hz, equivalent to a quantum state’s lifespan of 7.7 milliseconds – a new record for mechanical oscillators.
This achievement has resulted in an impressive 93% accuracy in managing the quantum state. Singo Kono, a member of the research group, explains, “This level of control allows us to observe the free development of mechanical compressed states while maintaining their quantum behavior for an extended period of 2 milliseconds.” This ultranist quantum decoherence makes the platform an ideal candidate for quantum storage facilities.
The study, published in the journal Nature Physics on August 10, has been regarded as a significant contribution to the fields of quantum physics, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.