Precession motion in levitated optomechanics

Rashid, M., Toroš, M. , Setter, A. and Ulbricht, H. (2018) Precession motion in levitated optomechanics. Physical Review Letters, 121(25), 253601. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.253601)

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Abstract

We investigate experimentally the dynamics of a nonspherical levitated nanoparticle in a vacuum. In addition to translation and rotation motion, we observe the light torque-induced precession and nutation of the trapped particle. We provide a theoretical model, which we numerically simulate and from which we derive approximate expressions for the motional frequencies. Both the simulation and approximate expressions we find in good agreement with experiments. We measure a torque of 1.9 ± 0.5 × 10−23 N m at 1 × 10−1 mbar, with an estimated torque sensitivity of 3.6 ± 1.1 × 10−31 N m / √Hz at 1 × 10−7 mbar.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Toros, Dr Marko
Authors: Rashid, M., Toroš, M., Setter, A., and Ulbricht, H.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:Physical Review Letters
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:0031-9007
ISSN (Online):1079-7114
Published Online:17 December 2018
Data DOI:10.5258/SOTON/D0523

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