Session P26: Superconducting Qubits: Materials / Nanomechanical Resonators
8:00 AM–11:00 AM, Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Room: D136
Sponsoring Unit:
GQI
Chair: David Schuster, Yale University
Abstract ID: BAPS.2010.MAR.P26.15
Abstract: P26.00015 : A macroscopic mechanical resonator operated in the quantum limit
10:48 AM–11:00 AM
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Abstract
Authors:
Aaron O'Connell
(University of California, Santa Barbara - Physics)
Radoslaw Bialczak
Michael Lenander
Erik Lucero
Matteo Mariantoni
Matthew Neeley
Daniel Sank
Haohua Wang
Martin Weides
James Wenner
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto
Yi Yin
John Martinis
Andrew Cleland
The observation of quantum effects in a macroscopic mechanical resonator is hindered by the difficulty in cooling to the quantum ground state, and in making a system that displays adequate coherence times. We are able to meet these challenges in a novel system comprising a superconducting phase qubit coupled to a high frequency (6 GHz) micromechanical dilatational resonator. Using this coupled system, we place an upper bound on the minimum average phonon occupation number of the mechanical resonator $\langle n \rangle < 0.07$, showing that the resonator is in its quantum ground state. Furthermore, we use the qubit to both create and measure a single phonon state in the resonator. Using this ability, the energy decay and phase coherence times of the resonator are extracted. Additionally, we excite the resonator directly with a classical microwave source, demonstrably creating a coherent state in the mechanical resonator.
To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2010.MAR.P26.15