Speaker: Igor Brandão (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro)

Title: Probing nonclassical correlations between indirectly coupled optomechanical systems

Abstract: Quantum mechanics is the most successful physical theory ever produced. Could it be valid over all mass and size scales given appropriate control over physical systems? The field of quantum optomechanics offers promising tools to answer these questions. Remarkably, optically and magnetically levitated systems allow for extraordinary environmental isolation of mechanical systems, reducing the effects of decoherence which usually prohibits the study of macroscopic quantum phenomena. In this seminar, we will present two optomechanical setups aimed at preparing entangled states of both light and matter under reasonable experimental conditions. First, we will discuss a dispersive optomechanical scheme, and we will show that the center of mass of a cloud with thousands of ultracold atoms can be prepared into a nonclassical state, reviewing a witness of nonclassicality. Next, we explore the coherent scattering scheme and show that a single optical cavity mode can mediate entanglement between multiple optically levitated nanospheres, even at room temperature.