Regal Group News

Micromechanical membranes can be quiet frequency sensors even at high amplitude

Cindy Regal — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 18:09:09 +0000

Micromechanical membranes can be quiet frequency sensors even at high amplitude Cindy Regal Sat, 03/21/2026 - 12:09

In our work published in NanoLetters, we develop an experimentally straightforward method to evade this tradeoff. Using a patterned, trampoline-shaped membrane, we find that dual-mechanical-mode operation can bring these sensors to a thermally-limited frequency stability. By measuring and correcting for frequency noise arising at high amplitude, we maintain this high stability when operating beyond the linear regime, opening new opportunities for membrane frequency sensing.

Drum-like membrane resonators are intriguing for precision sensing because their resonance frequencies can be sensitive to a variety of parameters of interest, from mass to thermal radiation. The quest for improved sensitivity in tensioned membranes faces a tradeoff in which a high amplitude of mechanical motion improves signal-to-noise, but too high of a drive (beyond the so-called critical amplitude) introduces nonlinear effects.

In our work published in NanoLetters, we develop an experimentally straightforward method to evade this tradeoff. Using a patterned, trampoline-shaped membrane, we find that dual-mechanical-mode operation can bring these sensors to a thermally-limited frequency stability. By measuring and correcting for frequency noise arising at high amplitude, we maintain this high stability when operating beyond the linear regime, opening new opportunities for membrane frequency sensing.

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Happy Birthday Quantum Mechanics! - Helgoland 2025

Steven Burrows — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:40:01 +0000

Happy Birthday Quantum Mechanics! - Helgoland 2025 Steven Burrows Mon, 07/14/2025 - 13:40

Physicists descended on the island of Helgoland this June to celebrate 100 years of quantum mechanics. Our group enjoyed contributing to this the convergence of quantum applications and foundations.

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Cryogenic optical tweezer array

Steven Burrows — Wed, 28 May 2025 19:39:20 +0000

Cryogenic optical tweezer array Steven Burrows Wed, 05/28/2025 - 13:39

Our work on high optical access cryogenic system for Rydberg atoms has been published in PRX Quantum - see this viewpoint on our studies.

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Membranes suspending a mass

Steven Burrows — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 19:44:54 +0000

Membranes suspending a mass Steven Burrows Fri, 03/31/2023 - 13:44

In our work published in Physical Review Applied, we study how mode quality factor depends on suspending a mass on a type of membrane resonator known as a trampoline. Surprisingly, the quality factor becomes independent of the mass in the large-load regime, for any tensioned resonator, which explains previous related results and will enable new design perspectives.

Mechanical resonators featuring large tensile stress have enabled a range of experiments in quantum optomechanics and precision sensing. Many sensing applications require functionalizing tensioned resonators by appending additional mass to them. However, this may dramatically change the resonator mode quality factor, and hence its sensitivity.

In our work published in Physical Review Applied, we study how mode quality factor depends on suspending a mass on a type of membrane resonator known as a trampoline. Surprisingly, the quality factor becomes independent of the mass in the large-load regime, for any tensioned resonator, which explains previous related results and will enable new design perspectives.

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Coherence of Rabi oscillations with spin exchange

Steven Burrows — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:46:15 +0000

Coherence of Rabi oscillations with spin exchange Steven Burrows Thu, 02/02/2023 - 13:46

In our work recently published in Physical Review Research we study Rabi oscillations in a vapor cell environment to understand their coherence in a regime where strong population dynamics are present. With these efforts we take an important step towards applying ideas in vector magnetic field measurements using Rabi oscillations to vapor cells.

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2D membrane phononic crystals for force sensing

Steven Burrows — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 20:47:45 +0000

2D membrane phononic crystals for force sensing Steven Burrows Sun, 12/29/2019 - 13:47

Analysis and new designs of low mass SiN mechanical defects in 2D acoustic shields for force sensing -- now published in Physical Review Applied.

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Upcoming workshop: Optomechanical architectures for precision sensing

Steven Burrows — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 19:48:58 +0000

Upcoming workshop: Optomechanical architectures for precision sensing Steven Burrows Wed, 10/09/2019 - 13:48

We are organizing an upcoming workshop on optomechanical architectures for new physics searches through force signatures on scalable arrays of mechanical resonators. The workshop is sponsored by an APS Moore Foundation Fundamental Physics convening award and co-sponsored by the JILA NSF Physics Frontier Center and JQI.

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Graduate student Chris Kiehl wins poster prize at conference in Germany

Steven Burrows — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 19:50:01 +0000

Graduate student Chris Kiehl wins poster prize at conference in Germany Steven Burrows Tue, 09/03/2019 - 13:50

Chris Kiehl, a graduate student in the Regal Group, won a prize for his poster on quantum sensing and metrology at a conference in Germany this summer.

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Vector magnetometry

Steven Burrows — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 19:41:41 +0000

Vector magnetometry Steven Burrows Tue, 10/09/2018 - 13:41

Microwaves report on the direction of a magnetic field! Our work on self-calibrated atomic vector magnetometry has been published in Phys. Rev. Lett. We show that a microwave polarization ellipse can be mapped with atomic transitions, and can serve as a useful three-dimensional reference. Our next step is to translate this idea to atomic vapor cells to make an atomic vector magnetometer that can calibrate itself at any time.

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Cindy Regal Named 2018 GRC Cruickshank Lecturer

Steven Burrows — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 19:51:08 +0000

Cindy Regal Named 2018 GRC Cruickshank Lecturer Steven Burrows Mon, 07/23/2018 - 13:51

JILA Fellow Cindy Regal has been named a 2018 Alexander M. Cruickshank Lecturer by the Gordon Research Conferences (GRC). This prestigious title is given worldwide to scientists at the top of their fields in the physical, chemical, and biological sciences.

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