Generation of squeezed vacuum state in the millihertz frequency band

Light Sci Appl. 2024 Oct 17;13(1):294. doi: 10.1038/s41377-024-01606-y.

Abstract

The detection of gravitational waves has ushered in a new era of observing the universe. Quantum resource advantages offer significant enhancements to the sensitivity of gravitational wave observatories. While squeezed states for ground-based gravitational wave detection have received marked attention, the generation of squeezed states suitable for mid-to-low-frequency detection has remained unexplored. To address the gap in squeezed state optical fields at ultra-low frequencies, we report on the first direct observation of a squeezed vacuum field until Fourier frequency of 4 millihertz with the quantum noise reduction of up to 8.0 dB, by the employment of a multiple noise suppression scheme. Our work provides quantum resources for future gravitational wave observatories, facilitating the development of quantum precision measurement.