Cavity cooling a single charged nanoparticle

Abstract

The development of laser cooling coupled with the ability to trap atoms and ions in electromagnetic fields, has revolutionised atomic and optical physics, leading to the development of atomic clocks, high-resolution spectroscopy and applications in quantum simulation and processing. However, complex systems, such as large molecules and nanoparticles, lack the simple internal resonances required for laser cooling. Here we report on a hybrid scheme that uses the external resonance of an optical cavity, combined with radio frequency (RF) fields, to trap and cool a single charged nanoparticle. An RF Paul trap allows confinement in vacuum, avoiding instabilities that arise from optical fields alone, and crucially actively participates in the cooling process. This system offers great promise for cooling and trapping a wide range of complex charged particles with applications in precision force sensing, mass spectrometry, exploration of quantum mechanics at large mass scales and the possibility of creating large quantum superpositions.