We demonstrate a simple and robust geometry for optical trapping in vacuum of a single nanoparticle based on a parabolic mirror and the optical gradient force, and we demonstrate rapid parametric feedback cooling of all three motional degrees of freedom from room temperature to a few mK. A single laser at 1550nm, and a single photodiode, are used for trapping, position detection, and cooling for all three dimensions. Particles with diameters from 26nm to 160nm are trapped without feedback to 10−5mbar and with feedback engaged the pressure is reduced to 10−6mbar. Modifications to the harmonic motion in the presence of noise and feedback are studied, and an experimental mechanical quality factor >4×107 is estimated.
@article{arxiv.1603.02917,
title = {Parametric Feedback Cooling of Levitated Optomechanics in a Parabolic Mirror Trap},
author = {Jamie Vovrosh and Muddassar Rashid and David Hempston and James Bateman and Mauro Paternostro and Hendrik Ulbricht},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1603.02917},
year = {2017}
}