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Long-lifetime phonons converse with microwave photons

A coherent interface between a mechanical oscillator and superconducting electrical circuits would enable the control of quantum states of mechanical motion, but such interfaces often result in excess mechanical energy loss. A new material-agnostic approach is shown to achieve strong electromechanical coupling while preserving a long phonon lifetime.

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Fig. 1: Coupling phonons and microwave photons using electrostatic fields.

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This is a summary of: Bozkurt, A. et al. A quantum electromechanical interface for long-lived phonons. Nat. Phys. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02080-w (2023).

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Long-lifetime phonons converse with microwave photons. Nat. Phys. 19, 1245–1246 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-023-02083-7

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