arXiv subjects

Shafaq Gulzar Elahi

Publications and source records attributed to Shafaq Gulzar Elahi.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Gravitational wave signal and noise response of an optically levitated sensor in a Fabry-Pérot cavity

Optically levitated sensors inside a Fabry-Pérot cavity have been proposed for high-frequency gravitational-wave (GW) detection, though their configuration for gravitational wave sensitivity exhibits counterintuitive features. We provide a new detailed general relativistic derivation of the interaction between a gravitational wave and a levitated object in an optical cavity, demonstrating gauge independence of the observable response. We find a strong asymmetric dependence of the strain signal on trap position, maximized when the sensor is located near the input mirror, and provide an in-depth explanation of its origin from multiple gauge perspectives. A key new result of this work is the consequence of this asymmetry on the noise coupling: the coupling of input-mirror displacements to the strain signal can be highly suppressed relative to that of end-mirror displacements and common-mode mirror motion. These results clarify the physical origin of the gravitational wave interaction with such a sensor and establish crucial design principles for optical levitation based high-frequency GW detectors.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Localized efficient in-vacuum loading of $\sim$0.1-10 $μ$m spherical and plate-like particles into optical traps using a pulled glass capillary

We demonstrate a compact piezoelectric-driven micropipette launcher for localized in-vacuum delivery of nano- and microparticles into optical traps. The launcher has been integrated into multiple optical trapping setups, including a single-beam trap, a non-interfering dual beam trap, and a standing-wave dual beam trap, showcasing the versatility and ease of integration of the setup. Using the micropipette launcher, we have successfully trapped silica spheres of $170\text{ nm}$, $300\text{ nm}$, 3 $μ\text{m}$ diameter, as well as 6 $μ\text{m}\times$ 0.2 $μ\text{m}$ $β$-NaYF hexagonal prisms and $\sim 100$ nm diameter high-purity nanodiamonds. We characterize the performance of the device including the peak acceleration, angular distribution of emitted particles, and the dependence on vertical displacement between the pipette tip and optical trap. Trapping efficiency as high as 93\% is achieved.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

An Optomechanical Coin Flip: Wavelength-Modulated, Erbium-Powered Rotations in a Levitated System

Optical levitation of nano-scale systems offers a pathway to highly sensitive rotation measurements, which are critical for advancing gyroscopic technologies. While prior studies have primarily focused on controlling rotational degrees of freedom of optically levitated particles via modulation of optical power, polarization, and ambient pressure, here we demonstrate wavelength-controlled rotation of the "coin-flip" mode in optically levitated NaYF hexagonal prisms doped with erbium by modulating the wavelength of a secondary pump beam. By switching the pump light wavelength, we precisely modulate the particle's rotation rate in a binary fashion, encoding the ASCII message "hello" in its rotational frequency. Finally, we observe long-term bimodal periodic dynamics in the rotational motion of a levitated prism that are suggestive of a Dzhanibekov (or tennis-racket)-like effect.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2026

Magnetic levitation and spatial superposition of a nanodiamond with a current-carrying chip

We propose a current-carrying-chip scheme for generating spatial quantum superpositions using a levitating nanodiamond with a built-in nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre defect. Our setup is quite versatile and we aim to create the superposition for a mass range of $10^{-19}~{\rm kg}< m< 10^{-15}~{\rm kg}$ and a superposition size ${\cal O}(10) {\rm μm} < Δx < {\cal O}(1){\rm nm}$, respectively, in $t\leq 0.1$s, depending on the position we launch from the center of the diamagnetic trap. We provide an in-depth analysis of two parallel chips that can create levitation and spatial superposition along the $x$-axis, while producing a very tight trap in the $y$ direction, and the direction of gravity, i.e., the $z$ direction. Numerical simulations demonstrate that our setup can create a one-dimensional spatial superposition state along the x-axis. Throughout this process, the particle is stably levitated in the z-direction, and its motion is effectively confined in the y-direction for a Gaussian initial condition. This setup presents a viable platform for a diamagnetically levitated nanoparticle for a table-top experiment exploring the possibility of creating a macroscopic Schrödinger Cat state to test the quantum gravity induced entanglement of masses (QGEM) protocol.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Diamagnetic microchip traps for levitated nanoparticle entanglement experiments

The Quantum Gravity Mediated Entanglement (QGEM) protocol offers a novel method to probe the quantumness of gravitational interactions at non-relativistic scales. This protocol leverages the Stern-Gerlach effect to create $\mathcal{O}(\sim μm)$ spatial superpositions of two nanodiamonds (mass $\sim 10^{-15}$ kg) with NV spins, which are then allowed to interact and become entangled solely through the gravitational interaction. Since electromagnetic interactions such as Casimir-Polder and dipole-dipole interactions dominate at this scale, screening them to ensure the masses interact exclusively via gravity is crucial. In this paper, we propose using magnetic traps based on micro-fabricated wires, which provide strong gradients with relatively modest magnetic fields to trap nanoparticles for interferometric entanglement experiments. The design consists of a small trap to cool the center-of-mass motion of the nanodiamonds and a long trap with a weak direction suitable for creating macroscopic superpositions. In contrast to permanent-magnet-based long traps, the micro-fabricated wire-based approach allows fast switching of the magnetic trapping and state manipulation potentials and permits integrated superconducting shielding, which can screen both electrostatic and magnetic interactions between nanodiamonds in a gravitational entanglement experiment. The setup also provides a possible platform for other tests of quantum coherence in macroscopic systems and searches for novel short-range forces.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Constant Curvature 3-branes in 5-D f(R) Bulk

Braneworld models remain the most promising candidates to address several important questions in low-energy particle phenomenology and cosmology. The role of the moduli field(s) and its stabilization is an integral part of this question. In this work, we show that a 5-dimensional warped braneworld model with higher curvature gravity in bulk admits de-Sitter and anti de-Sitter solutions on the branes. The remarkable feature of having a positive vacuum energy on the visible brane is the presence of a metastable minimum and a global minimum for the modulus potential. While the metastable minimum leads to a consistent cosmological model of a bouncing universe, the concomitant existence of the global minimum provides a vacuum for the modulus to roll down to stability. Further, this model is shown to be consistent with the swampland conjecture to qualify as a viable candidate in the low energy description of string landscape

hep-th↗

arXiv2023

Novel modulus stabilization mechanism in higher dimensional f(R) Gravity

In this work, we obtain a new warped solution for a 5-dimensional $f(R) $ gravity in an anti de-Sitter bulk. The higher curvature term in the gravity action is shown to modify the usual warped metric. The novel feature of this modification leads to a natural geometric stabilization of the modulus/radion field in the underlying effective theory on the visible 3-brane without the need for any external stabilizing field. It is further shown that the stabilized value of the modulus resolves the well-known gauge hierarchy problem without any unnatural fine-tuning of the model parameters. This new solution also opens up the possibilities of new signatures in various scenarios formulated in the backdrop of higher dimensional space-time.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Probing massless and massive gravitons via entanglement in a warped extra dimension

Gravity's quantum nature can be probed in a laboratory by witnessing the entanglement between the two quantum systems, which cannot be possible if gravity is a classical entity. In this paper, we will provide a simple example where we can probe the effects of higher dimensions, in particular, the warped extra dimension of five-dimensional Anti-de Sitter spacetime ($\rm AdS_5$). We assume that the two quantum harmonic oscillators are kept at a distance $d$ on a 3-brane (our 4D world) embedded in $\rm AdS_5$, while gravity can propagate in all five dimensions. We will compute the effective potential due to the massless and massive gravitons propagating in the warped geometry. We will compute the entanglement between position and momentum states for both static and non-static cases. The entanglement enhances compared to the four-dimensional massless graviton, and it depends now on the $\rm AdS_5$ radius. We will also show that if we would prepare non-Gaussian superposition states, e.g. spatial superposition of masses of order $10^{-14}-10^{-15}$kg with a superposition size of ${\cal O}(20)$ micron, we can yield larger concurrence of order ${\cal O}(0.1)$.

gr-qc↗