Measurements with optically levitated microspheres

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract
I discuss the development of optically levitated microspheres as a tool for precision measurements and tests of fundamental physics. Micron-scale dielectric spheres are trapped by the radiation pressure at the focus of a Gaussian laser beam, where the optical suspension enables thermal, electrical, and mechanical isolation from the surrounding environment at high vacuum. Forces and torques can be measured from changes in the angle and polarization of light both transmitted through and reflected by the trapped particle. Additionally, the charge of the particle can be controlled with single electron precision. We have used these methods for the following three purposes: to search for fractionally charged particles and dark energy, to develop measurement techniques for surface potentials, and to construct an electrically driven micro-gyroscope.

Description

Type of resource text
Form electronic resource; remote; computer; online resource
Extent 1 online resource.
Place California
Place [Stanford, California]
Publisher [Stanford University]
Copyright date 2019; ©2019
Publication date 2019; 2019
Issuance monographic
Language English

Creators/Contributors

Author Rider, Alexander David
Degree supervisor Gratta, Giorgio
Thesis advisor Gratta, Giorgio
Thesis advisor Fox, John D
Thesis advisor Kasevich, Mark A
Degree committee member Fox, John D
Degree committee member Kasevich, Mark A
Associated with Stanford University, Department of Physics.

Subjects

Genre Theses
Genre Text

Bibliographic information

Statement of responsibility Alexander Rider.
Note Submitted to the Department of Physics.
Thesis Thesis Ph.D. Stanford University 2019.
Location electronic resource

Access conditions

Copyright
© 2019 by Alexander David Rider
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

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