Quantum-limited imaging of a nanomechanical resonator with a spatial mode sorter

We explore the use of a spatial mode sorter to image a nanomechanical resonator, with the goal of studying the quantum limits of active imaging and extending the toolbox for optomechanical force sensing. In our experiment, we reflect a Gaussian laser beam from a vibrating nanoribbon and pass the ref...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. E. Choi, C. M. Pluchar, W. He, S. Guha, D. J. Wilson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2025-08-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/6msj-wh2f
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Summary:We explore the use of a spatial mode sorter to image a nanomechanical resonator, with the goal of studying the quantum limits of active imaging and extending the toolbox for optomechanical force sensing. In our experiment, we reflect a Gaussian laser beam from a vibrating nanoribbon and pass the reflected beam through a commercial spatial mode demultiplexer (Cailabs Proteus). The intensity in each demultiplexed channel depends on the mechanical modeshapes and encodes information about their displacement amplitudes. As a concrete demonstration, we monitor the angular displacement of the ribbon’s fundamental torsion mode by illuminating in the fundamental Hermite-Gauss mode (HG_{00}) and reading out in the HG_{10} mode. We show that this technique permits readout of the ribbon’s torsional vibration with a precision near the quantum limit. Our results highlight new opportunities at the interface of quantum imaging and quantum optomechanics.
ISSN:2643-1564