@article{Pi2025,

title = {Levitation and controlled MHz rotation of a nanofabricated rod by a high-NA metalens},

author = {Hailong Pi and Chuang Sun and Kian Shen Kiang and Tiberius Georgescu and Bruce Jun-Yu Ou and Hendrik Ulbricht and Jize Yan},

doi = {10.1038/s41378-025-00886-7},

issn = {2055-7434},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-12-00},

journal = {Microsyst Nanoeng},

volume = {11},

number = {1},

publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},

abstract = {Abstract

          An optically levitated nanoparticle in a vacuum provides an ideal platform for ultra-precision measurements and fundamental physics studies because of the exceptionally high-quality factor and rich motion modes, which can be engineered by manipulating the optical field and the geometry of the nanoparticle. Nanofabrication technology with the ability to create arbitrary nanostructure arrays offers a precise way of engineering the optical field and the geometry of the nanoparticle. Here, for the first time, we optically levitate and rotate a nanofabricated nanorod via a nanofabricated a-Si metalens which strongly focuses a 1550 nm laser beam with a numerical aperture of 0.953. By manipulating the laser beam’s polarization, the levitated nanorod’s translation frequencies can be tuned, and the spin rotation mode can be switched on and off. Then, we showed the control of rotational frequency by changing the laser beam’s intensity and polarization as well as the air pressure. Finally, a MHz spin rotation frequency of the nanorod is achieved in the experiment. This is the first demonstration of controlled optical spin in a metalens-based compact optical levitation system. Our research holds promise for realizing scalable on-chip integrated optical levitation systems.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Homans2025,

title = {An experimental platform for levitated mechanics in space},

author = {Jack Homans and Elliot Simcox and Jakub Wardak and Laura da Palma Barbara and Tim M Fuchs and Rafael Mufato and Florence Concepcion and Andrei Dragomir and Christian Vogt and Peter Nisbet-Jones and Christopher Bridges and Hendrik Ulbricht},

doi = {10.1088/2058-9565/ade624},

issn = {2058-9565},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-10-01},

journal = {Quantum Sci. Technol.},

volume = {10},

number = {3},

publisher = {IOP Publishing},

abstract = {Abstract

               Conducting experiments in extreme conditions has long been the aim of the levitated mechanics field, as it allows for the investigation of new fundamental physics phenomena. Sending these experiments into the micro-g environment of space has been one such milestone, with multiple proposals calling for such a platform. At the same time, levitated sensors have demonstrated a high sensitivity to external stimuli, such as electric, magnetic and gravitational forces, which will only improve in low-vibrational conditions. This paper describes the development of a technology demonstrator for optical and magnetic trapping experiments in space. Our payload represents the first concrete step towards future missions with aims of probing fundamental physical questions: matter-wave interferometry of nanoparticles to probe the limits of macroscopic quantum mechanics, detection of Dark Matter candidates and gravitational waves to test physics beyond the Standard Model, and accelerometry for Earth-observation.},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Piccione2025,

title = {Exploring the effects of mass dependence in spontaneous collapse models},

author = {Nicolò Piccione and Angelo Bassi},

doi = {10.1103/2yy5-tj85},

issn = {2469-9934},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-07-00},

journal = {Phys. Rev. A},

volume = {112},

number = {1},

publisher = {American Physical Society (APS)},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Gundhi2025,

title = {Measuring Decoherence Due to Quantum Vacuum Fluctuations},

author = {Anirudh Gundhi and Hendrik Ulbricht},

doi = {10.1103/s5c9-zjt9},

issn = {1079-7114},

year  = {2025},

date = {2025-07-00},

journal = {Phys. Rev. Lett.},

volume = {135},

number = {2},

publisher = {American Physical Society (APS)},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}