All-mechanical quantum noise cancellation for accelerometry: broadband with momentum measurements, narrow band without

TL;DR

This paper introduces a mechanical approach to quantum noise cancellation in accelerometry, enabling broadband or narrow-band back-action-free force measurements by utilizing momentum and position measurements respectively, eliminating optical references.

Contribution

It presents a simple mechanical oscillator configuration for quantum noise cancellation, replacing optical references and expanding measurement bandwidth options.

Findings

Broadband back-action-free force measurement with momentum measurements.

Narrow-band back-action-free force measurement with position measurements.

Elimination of optical reference oscillator in quantum noise cancellation schemes.

Abstract

We show that the ability to make direct measurements of momentum, in addition to the usual direct measurements of position, allows a simple configuration of two identical mechanical oscillators to be used for broadband back-action-free force metrology. This would eliminate the need for an optical reference oscillator in the scheme of Tsang and Caves [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 123601 (2010)], along with its associated disadvantages. We also show that if one is restricted to position measurements alone then two copies of the same two-oscillator configuration can be used for narrow-band back-action-free force metrology.