Optomechanical Schrödinger cats - a case for space

Author(s)
Rainer Kaltenbaek, Markus Aspelmeyer
Abstract

Quantum optomechanics exploits radiation pressure effects inside optical cavities. It can be used to generate quantum states of the center-of-mass motion of massive mechanical objects, thereby opening up a new parameter regime for macroscopic quantum experiments. The challenging experimental conditions to maintain and observe quantum coherence for increasingly large objects may require a space environment rather than an earth-bound laboratory. We introduce a possible space experiment to study the wave-packet expansion of massive objects. This forms the basis for Schrödinger cat states of unprecedented size and mass.

Organisation(s)
Quantum Optics, Quantum Nanophysics and Quantum Information
Pages
123-134
No. of pages
12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4171/121-1/6
Publication date
2013
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103026 Quantum optics, 103019 Mathematical physics
Keywords
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/20b6f94d-818e-4d94-b7ea-592a80ff13b8