Squeezing of Quantum Noise of Motion in a Micromechanical Resonator

Phys Rev Lett. 2015 Dec 11;115(24):243601. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.243601. Epub 2015 Dec 7.

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.