Acceleration sensing with magnetically levitated oscillators above a superconductor

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate stable trapping of a permanent magnet sphere above a lead superconductor, in vacuum pressures of 4×10−8 mbar. The levitating magnet behaves as a harmonic oscillator, with frequencies in the 4-31 Hz range detected, and shows promise to be an ultrasensitive acceleration sensor. We directly apply an acceleration to the magnet with a current carrying wire, which we use to measure a background noise of ∼ 10−10 m/ √ Hz at 30.75 Hz frequency. With current experimental parameters, we find an acceleration sensitivity of S 1/2 a = 1.2 ± 0.2 × 10−10 g/ √ Hz, for a thermal noise limited system. By considering a 300 mK
environment, at a background helium pressure of 1 × 10−10 mbar, acceleration sensitivities of S 1/2 a ∼ 3 × 10−15 g/
√ Hz could be possible with ideal conditions and vibration isolation. To feasibly measure with such a sensitivity, feedback cooling must be implemented.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Andrea Vinante: orcid.org/0000-0002-9385-2127

ORCID for Hendrik Ulbricht: orcid.org/0000-0003-0356-0065

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