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Main Authors: Luo, Yizhi, Diamandi, Hilel Hagai, Li, Hanshi, Bi, Runjiang, Mason, David, Yoon, Taekwan, Guo, Xinghan, Tang, Hanlin, Behunin, Ryan O., Walker, Frederick J., Ahn, Charles, Rakich, Peter T.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.07523
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author Luo, Yizhi
Diamandi, Hilel Hagai
Li, Hanshi
Bi, Runjiang
Mason, David
Yoon, Taekwan
Guo, Xinghan
Tang, Hanlin
Behunin, Ryan O.
Walker, Frederick J.
Ahn, Charles
Rakich, Peter T.
author_facet Luo, Yizhi
Diamandi, Hilel Hagai
Li, Hanshi
Bi, Runjiang
Mason, David
Yoon, Taekwan
Guo, Xinghan
Tang, Hanlin
Behunin, Ryan O.
Walker, Frederick J.
Ahn, Charles
Rakich, Peter T.
contents High-frequency mechanical oscillators with long coherence times are essential to realizing a variety of high-fidelity quantum sensors, transducers, and memories. However, the unprecedented coherence times needed for quantum applications require exquisitely sensitive new techniques to probe the material origins of phonon decoherence and new strategies to mitigate decoherence in mechanical oscillators. Here, we combine non-invasive laser spectroscopy techniques with materials analysis to identify key sources of phonon decoherence in crystalline media. Using micro-fabricated high-overtone bulk acoustic-wave resonators ($μ$HBARs) as an experimental testbed, we identify phonon-surface interactions as the dominant source of phonon decoherence in crystalline quartz; lattice distortion, subsurface damage, and high concentration of elemental impurities near the crystal surface are identified as the likely causes. Removal of this compromised surface layer using an optimized polishing process is seen to greatly enhance coherence times, enabling $μ$HBARs with Q-factors of > 240 million at 12 GHz frequencies, corresponding to > 6 ms phonon coherence times and record-level f-Q products. Complementary phonon linewidth and time-domain ringdown measurements, performed using a new Brillouin-based pump-probe spectroscopy technique, reveal negligible dephasing within these oscillators. Building on these results, we identify a path to > 100 ms coherence times as the basis for high-frequency quantum memories. These findings clearly demonstrate that, with enhanced control over surfaces, dissipation and noise can be significantly reduced in a wide range of quantum systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_07523
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Lifetime-limited Gigahertz-frequency Mechanical Oscillators with Millisecond Coherence Times
Luo, Yizhi
Diamandi, Hilel Hagai
Li, Hanshi
Bi, Runjiang
Mason, David
Yoon, Taekwan
Guo, Xinghan
Tang, Hanlin
Behunin, Ryan O.
Walker, Frederick J.
Ahn, Charles
Rakich, Peter T.
Quantum Physics
Materials Science
High-frequency mechanical oscillators with long coherence times are essential to realizing a variety of high-fidelity quantum sensors, transducers, and memories. However, the unprecedented coherence times needed for quantum applications require exquisitely sensitive new techniques to probe the material origins of phonon decoherence and new strategies to mitigate decoherence in mechanical oscillators. Here, we combine non-invasive laser spectroscopy techniques with materials analysis to identify key sources of phonon decoherence in crystalline media. Using micro-fabricated high-overtone bulk acoustic-wave resonators ($μ$HBARs) as an experimental testbed, we identify phonon-surface interactions as the dominant source of phonon decoherence in crystalline quartz; lattice distortion, subsurface damage, and high concentration of elemental impurities near the crystal surface are identified as the likely causes. Removal of this compromised surface layer using an optimized polishing process is seen to greatly enhance coherence times, enabling $μ$HBARs with Q-factors of > 240 million at 12 GHz frequencies, corresponding to > 6 ms phonon coherence times and record-level f-Q products. Complementary phonon linewidth and time-domain ringdown measurements, performed using a new Brillouin-based pump-probe spectroscopy technique, reveal negligible dephasing within these oscillators. Building on these results, we identify a path to > 100 ms coherence times as the basis for high-frequency quantum memories. These findings clearly demonstrate that, with enhanced control over surfaces, dissipation and noise can be significantly reduced in a wide range of quantum systems.
title Lifetime-limited Gigahertz-frequency Mechanical Oscillators with Millisecond Coherence Times
topic Quantum Physics
Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.07523