Probing mechanical quantum coherence with an ultracold-atom probe

TL;DR

This paper proposes a method to detect quantum coherence in a nano-cantilever by coupling it to a spinor BEC and observing gyroscopic motion, enabling continuous, minimally invasive measurement.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scheme using magnetic coupling and rotor mapping to probe quantum coherence in nano-mechanical systems.

Findings

The rotor angular momentum dynamics reveal the quantum coherence state.

A Faraday rotation-based detection scheme allows continuous, low-back-action measurement.

The method enables non-destructive probing of quantum states in nano-cantilevers.

Abstract

We propose a scheme to probe quantum coherence in the state of a nano-cantilever based on its magnetic coupling (mediated by a magnetic tip) with a spinor Bose Einstein condensate (BEC). By mapping the BEC into a rotor, its coupling with the cantilever results in a gyroscopic motion whose properties depend on the state of the cantilever: the dynamics of one of the components of the rotor angular momentum turns out to be strictly related to the presence of quantum coherence in the state of the cantilever. We also suggest a detection scheme relying on Faraday rotation, which produces only a very small back-action on the BEC and it is thus suitable for a continuous detection of the cantilever's dynamics.