Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Continuous quantum displacement measurements are fundamentally limited by a trade-off between readout imprecision and measurement back-action, constrained by the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. In the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), these two quantum noise components dominate much of the observation band, making it an excellent testbed. We induce a sub-Hz-linewidth optomechanical mode by trapping the differential motion of the 40-kg mirrors in a band where radiation-pressure back-action dominates the motion. Engineering the quantum state entering the dark port creates correlations between imprecision and back-action that partially cancel their contributions, reducing observed motion near resonance by ~47%. A framework resolving the imprecision, back-action, and correlation terms identifies the origin of this suppression. These results demonstrate quantum back-action evasion and quantum reservoir engineering in a macroscopic optomechanical system.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Kabagöz, Begüm, Oelker, Eric, Ganapathy, Dhruva, Mavalvala, Nergis, Sudhir, Vivishek, Bossilkov, Vladimir, Betzweiser, Joseph, Frolov, Valery V., Effler, Anamaria, Mullavey, Adam, Barsotti, Lisa, Hall, Evan D., Fritschel, Peter, Abbott, R., Abouelfettouh, I., Adhikari, R. X., Ananyeva, A., Appert, S., Apple, S. K., Arai, K., Aritomi, N., Aston, S. M., Ball, M., Ballmer, S. W., Barker, D., Berger, B. K., Bhattacharjee, D., Billingsley, G., Biscans, S., Blair, C. D., Bode, N., Bonilla, E., Branch, A., Brooks, A. F., Brown, D. D., Bryant, J., Cahillane, C., Calafat, A., Callos, S. R., Cao, H., Capote, E., Clara, F., Collins, J., Compton, C. M., Connolly, G., Cottingham, R., Coyne, D. C., Crouch, R., Csizmazia, J., Cumming, A., Dartez, L. P., Davis, D., Demos, N., Dohmen, E., Dooley, K. L., Driggers, J. C., Dwyer, S. E., Ejlli, A., Etzel, T., Evans, M., Feicht, J., Frey, R., Frischhertz, W., Fuentes-Garcia, M., Fulda, P., Fyffe, M., Gateley, B., Gayer, T., Giaime, J. A., Giardina, K. D., Glanzer, J., Goetz, E., Goetz, R., Goodwin-Jones, A. W., Gras, S., Gray, C., Griffith, D., Grote, H., Guidry, T., Gurs, J., Hanks, J., Hanson, J., Heintze, M. C., Helmling-Cornell, A. F., Holland, N. A., Hoyland, D., Huang, H. Y., Inoue, Y., James, A. L., Jamies, A., Jaume, R., Jennings, A., Jia, W., Jones, D. H., Karat, S., Karki, S., Kasprzack, M., Kawabe, K., Kijbunchoo, N., King, P. J., Kissel, J. S., Komori, K., Kontos, A., Kumar, R., Kuns, K., Landry, M., Lantz, B., Laxen, M., Lee, K., Lesovsky, M., Villarreal, F. Llamas, Lormand, M., Loughlin, H. A., Macas, R., MacInnis, M., Makarem, C. N., Mannix, B., Mansell, G. L., Martin, R. M., Mason, K., Matichard, F., Maxwell, N., McCarrol, G., McCarthy, R., McClelland, D. E., McCormick, S., McRae, T., Mera, F., Merilh, E. L., Mérou, J. R., Meylahn, F., Mittleman, R., Moraru, D., Moreno, G., Nakano, M., Nelson, T. J. N., Neunzert, A., Notte, J., Oberling, J., O'Hanlon, T., Oram, R., Osthelder, C., Ottaway, D. J., Overmier, H., Parker, W., Patane, O., Pele, A., Pham, H., Pirello, M., Pullin, J., Quetschke, V., Ramirez, K. E., Ransom, K., Reyes, J., Richardson, J. W., Robinson, M., Rollins, J. G., Romel, C. L., Romie, J. H., Ross, M. P., Rotimi, B. I., Ryan, K., Sadecki, T., Sanchez, A., Sanchez, E. J., Sanchez, L. E., Savage, R. L., Schaetzl, D., Schiworski, M. G., Schnabel, R., Schofield, R. M. S., Schwartz, E., Sellers, D., Shaffer, T., Short, R. W., Sigg, D., Slagmolen, B. J. J., Soike, C., Soni, S., Srivastava, V., Sun, L., Tanner, D. B., Thomas, M., Thomas, P., Thorne, K. A., Todd, M. R., Torrie, C. I., Traylor, G., Ubhi, A. S., Vajente, G., Vanosky, J., Vecchio, A., Veitch, P. J., Vibhute, A. M., von Reis, E. R. G., Warner, J., Weaver, B., Weiss, R., Whittle, C., Willke, B., Wipf, C. C., Wright, J. L., Xu, V. A., Yamamoto, H., Zhang, L., Zucker, M. E.
Institutions: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, LIGO Scientific Collaboration, California Institute of Technology, University of Washington, University of Oregon, Syracuse University, Stanford University, Kenyon College, Missouri University of Science and Technology, The University of Western Australia, ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, Leibniz University Hannover, Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, University of Birmingham, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Glasgow, Cardiff University, University of Florida, University of British Columbia, Universität Hamburg, Bard College, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, National Central University, Australian National University, The University of Adelaide, The University of Tokyo, Sungkyunkwan University, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, University of Portsmouth, Montclair State University, Louisiana State University, University of California, Riverside
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1491314150, The A+ Upgrade to Advanced LIGO, The Construction of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (AdvLIGO), Experimental Studies of the Quantum-Gravity Tension, CAREER: Macroscopic Quantum Measurement and Control to Probe Gravity, G6671297155, G8194012698, Research Infrastructure: LIGO Laboratory Operations and Maintenance 2024-2028 -- Exploring the Gravitational-Wave Cosmos
OpenAlex ID: W7213675682