Abstract
We theoretically analyze the problem of detecting the position of a classical dipolar scatterer in a strongly focused optical field. We suggest an optimal measurement scheme and show that it resolves the scatterer's position in three dimensions at the Heisenberg limit of the imprecision-backaction product. We apply our formalism to levitated-optomechanics experiments and show that backscattering detection provides sufficient information to feedback cool the particle's motion along the optical axis to a phonon occupancy below unity under realistic experimental conditions.
- Received 30 July 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.100.043821
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