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Using a mechanical resonator to catch, store, and release propagating microwave fields

Konrad Lehnert, University of Colorado

(Session 5 : Friday from 10:30 - 11:15)

Abstract. Micro-mechanical resonators are an established technology for processing classical signals. The field of quantum micro-electromechanics seeks to use these resonators to process signals in an essentially quantum way. For example, it may be possible to use these resonators as long-lived memories, storing quantum information on a chip in the form of mechanical vibration. In this talk, I will describe our progress in this endeavor. In particular, we are now able to transfer coherent states between propagating microwave fields and a mechanical resonator. Furthermore we can directly observe the decay of the resonator state and estimate a quantum coherence time. Finally, we can perform our state transfer protocol using coherent states with an average energy of one photon, allowing us to estimate the fidelity of a mechanical resonator used as a quantum memory.