A Zhejiang Lab's project of facility for ultra-weak force detection has recently achieved a new milestone. The facility is based on optomechanics and its performance reaches internationally-advanced levels, with a force sensitivity of 3.4×10-19N/Hz^1/2 and a resolution of 4.6×10^-21N. 

Formally initiated in July 2019, the project aims to break the limits of traditional measurement methods and achieve ultrasensitive measurement of various physical quantities such as ultra-weak force and acceleration. 

After more than a year's arduous work on the research, construction, and configuration of the facility, the Lab invited an expert panel led by Zhu Shiyao, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to evaluate the project’s outcomes in January 2021. The panel listened to the reports given by the project team and the testing expert team, and reviewed relevant technical files. In addition, they checked the operation of the facility through a live video and conducted inquires and discussions about its technical specifications. 

The panel unanimously agreed that the facility met the technical requirements for the evaluation and instructed the project team to continue to build the test environment and implement further research and application plans.

Professor Hu Huizhu, leader of the team, said that reaching this milestone demonstrated that the Lab was on the right path to explore quantum-sensing technology for ultrasensitive force detection. The project team has accumulated useful research experience for quantum control and enhancement on micro-nano scale, laying a solid foundation for the development of relevant technologies. In the future, the facility will support the research of cutting-edge topics related to weak forces. 

"In more than a year, we have overcome key technical problems such as the stable optical levitation of particle in high vacuum, the sub-picometer sensitivity of position detection by three-axis decoupling, and the millikelvin cooling of the center-of-mass motion of particle. The Lab has showed great support for our research with all the services we needed, and our team members have gradually become the key middle-aged researchers in this area," said Hu.

So far, the young researchers have achieved excellent outcomes. In addition to being granted nineteen national and international patents, they have been awarded grants to undertake four national projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, and others.