arXiv · 2604.18371
Optomechanical Detection of Individual Gas Collisions
Abstract
We experimentally demonstrate the detection of momentum transfers from individual collisions of Kr, Xe, and SF$_6$ with an optically levitated nanoparticle, finding good agreement with theoretical expectations. The observed event rates accurately measure the gas partial pressures, while the spectral shape provides a sensitive probe of the surface properties of the nanoparticle, including its temperature. The reconstruction of impulse signals as small as 200 keV/$c$ further establishes that levitated optomechanical sensors can reach the sensitivity required for precision measurements of fundamental particle interactions, and demonstrates a proof-of-principle for a primary pressure sensor based on the detection of individual gas particle collisions.
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Yu-Han Tseng, Clarke A. Hardy, T. W. Penny, Cecily Lowe, Jacqueline Baeza-Rubio, Daniel Carney, David C. Moore. 2026-04-20. Optomechanical Detection of Individual Gas Collisions. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.18371
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