---
DOAJ_listed: '1'
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: gold
PlanS_conform: '1'
_id: '20840'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Probing the possibility of entanglement generation through gravity offers
a path to tackle the question of whether gravitational fields possess a quantum
mechanical nature. A potential realization necessitates systems with low-frequency
dynamics at an optimal mass scale, for which the microgram-to-milligram range
is a strong contender. Here, after refining a figure-of-merit for the problem,
we present a 1-milligram torsional pendulum operating at 18 Hz. We demonstrate
laser cooling its motion from room temperature to 240 microkelvins, surpassing
by over 20-fold the coldest motions attained for oscillators ranging from micrograms
to kilograms. We quantify and contrast the utility of the current approach with
other platforms. The achieved performance and large improvement potential highlight
milligram-scale torsional pendulums as a powerful platform for precision measurements
relevant to future studies at the quantum-gravity interface.
acknowledgement: We thank Gerard Higgins, Andrei Militaru, Nikolai Kiesel, and Markus
Aspelmeyer for useful discussions on the topic of the figure-of-merit. We thank
Teodor Strömberg for helping with the additional characterizations of the optical
lever noise. We thank Johannes Fink and Scott Waitukaitis for their helpful feedback
on the manuscript. This work was supported by Institute of Science and Technology
Austria and the European Research Council under Grant No. 101087907 (ERC CoG QuHAMP).
article_number: '80'
article_processing_charge: Yes
article_type: original
arxiv: 1
author:
- first_name: Sofya
full_name: Agafonova, Sofya
id: 09501ff6-dca7-11ea-a8ae-b3e0b9166e80
last_name: Agafonova
orcid: 0000-0003-0582-2946
- first_name: Pere
full_name: Rosello, Pere
last_name: Rosello
- first_name: Manuel
full_name: Mekonnen, Manuel
last_name: Mekonnen
- first_name: Onur
full_name: Hosten, Onur
id: 4C02D85E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Hosten
orcid: 0000-0002-2031-204X
citation:
ama: Agafonova S, Rosello P, Mekonnen M, Hosten O. One-milligram torsional pendulum
toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface. Communications Physics.
2026;9. doi:10.1038/s42005-026-02514-w
apa: Agafonova, S., Rosello, P., Mekonnen, M., & Hosten, O. (2026). One-milligram
torsional pendulum toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface. Communications
Physics. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-026-02514-w
chicago: Agafonova, Sofia, Pere Rosello, Manuel Mekonnen, and Onur Hosten. “One-Milligram
Torsional Pendulum toward Experiments at the Quantum-Gravity Interface.” Communications
Physics. Springer Nature, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-026-02514-w.
ieee: S. Agafonova, P. Rosello, M. Mekonnen, and O. Hosten, “One-milligram torsional
pendulum toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface,” Communications
Physics, vol. 9. Springer Nature, 2026.
ista: Agafonova S, Rosello P, Mekonnen M, Hosten O. 2026. One-milligram torsional
pendulum toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface. Communications Physics.
9, 80.
mla: Agafonova, Sofia, et al. “One-Milligram Torsional Pendulum toward Experiments
at the Quantum-Gravity Interface.” Communications Physics, vol. 9, 80,
Springer Nature, 2026, doi:10.1038/s42005-026-02514-w.
short: S. Agafonova, P. Rosello, M. Mekonnen, O. Hosten, Communications Physics
9 (2026).
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2025-12-21T11:39:04Z
date_published: 2026-03-04T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-06-10T08:36:06Z
day: '04'
ddc:
- '530'
department:
- _id: GradSch
- _id: OnHo
doi: 10.1038/s42005-026-02514-w
external_id:
arxiv:
- '2408.09445'
file:
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 62e2175e7e3ad49260ae6a7b4e0860a2
content_type: application/pdf
creator: dernst
date_created: 2026-03-16T10:07:46Z
date_updated: 2026-03-16T10:07:46Z
file_id: '21457'
file_name: 2026_CommunicationsPhysics_Agafonova.pdf
file_size: 1901772
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2026-03-16T10:07:46Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: ' 9'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '03'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
project:
- _id: bdb2a702-d553-11ed-ba76-f12e3e5a3bc6
grant_number: '101087907'
name: 'A quantum hybrid of atoms and milligram-scale pendulums: towards gravitational
quantum mechanics'
publication: Communications Physics
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 2399-3650
publication_status: published
publisher: Springer Nature
quality_controlled: '1'
related_material:
record:
- id: '20842'
relation: research_data
status: public
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: One-milligram torsional pendulum toward experiments at the quantum-gravity
interface
tmp:
image: /images/cc_by.png
legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 9
year: '2026'
...
---
_id: '20842'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Probing the possibility of entanglement generation through gravity offers
a path to tackle the question of whether gravitational fields possess a quantum
mechanical nature. A potential realization necessitates systems with low-frequency
dynamics at an optimal mass scale, for which the microgram-to-milligram range
is a strong contender. Here, after refining a figure-of-merit for the problem,
we present a 1-milligram torsional pendulum operating at 18 Hz. We demonstrate
laser cooling its motion from room temperature to 240~microkelvins, surpassing
by over 20-fold the coldest motions attained for oscillators ranging from micrograms
to kilograms. We quantify and contrast the utility of the current approach with
other platforms. The achieved performance and large improvement potential highlight
milligram-scale torsional pendulums as a powerful platform for precision measurements
relevant to future studies at the quantum-gravity interface.
article_processing_charge: No
author:
- first_name: Sofya
full_name: Agafonova, Sofya
id: 09501ff6-dca7-11ea-a8ae-b3e0b9166e80
last_name: Agafonova
orcid: 0000-0003-0582-2946
citation:
ama: 'Agafonova S. Research Data for: “One-milligram torsional pendulum toward experiments
at the quantum-gravity interface.” 2025. doi:10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842'
apa: 'Agafonova, S. (2025). Research Data for: “One-milligram torsional pendulum
toward experiments at the quantum-gravity interface.” Institute of Science and
Technology Austria. https://doi.org/10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842'
chicago: 'Agafonova, Sofia. “Research Data for: ‘One-Milligram Torsional Pendulum
toward Experiments at the Quantum-Gravity Interface.’” Institute of Science and
Technology Austria, 2025. https://doi.org/10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842.'
ieee: 'S. Agafonova, “Research Data for: ‘One-milligram torsional pendulum toward
experiments at the quantum-gravity interface.’” Institute of Science and Technology
Austria, 2025.'
ista: 'Agafonova S. 2025. Research Data for: ‘One-milligram torsional pendulum toward
experiments at the quantum-gravity interface’, Institute of Science and Technology
Austria, 10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842.'
mla: 'Agafonova, Sofia. Research Data for: “One-Milligram Torsional Pendulum
toward Experiments at the Quantum-Gravity Interface.” Institute of Science
and Technology Austria, 2025, doi:10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842.'
short: S. Agafonova, (2025).
contributor:
- first_name: Pere
last_name: Rosello
- first_name: Manuel
last_name: Mekonnen
- contributor_type: supervisor
first_name: Onur
id: 4C02D85E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Hosten
orcid: 0000-0002-2031-204X
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2025-12-21T14:23:50Z
date_published: 2025-12-22T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2026-06-10T08:36:07Z
day: '22'
department:
- _id: GradSch
- _id: OnHo
doi: 10.15479/AT-ISTA-20842
file:
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 7af34e4226a00cdcb7f154272050e217
content_type: application/x-zip-compressed
creator: sagafono
date_created: 2025-12-22T13:45:30Z
date_updated: 2025-12-22T13:45:30Z
file_id: '20854'
file_name: AllData.zip
file_size: 146656591
relation: main_file
success: 1
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 71806a2ef9fb26ad7b78e04c6754ee4e
content_type: application/x-zip-compressed
creator: sagafono
date_created: 2025-12-22T13:45:33Z
date_updated: 2025-12-22T13:45:33Z
file_id: '20855'
file_name: SourceData.zip
file_size: 93470129
relation: main_file
success: 1
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 08facd1b4a102f83e4d99d48a85b258d
content_type: text/plain
creator: sagafono
date_created: 2025-12-22T13:51:09Z
date_updated: 2025-12-22T13:51:09Z
file_id: '20856'
file_name: readme.txt
file_size: 461
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2025-12-22T13:51:09Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
month: '12'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
project:
- _id: bdb2a702-d553-11ed-ba76-f12e3e5a3bc6
grant_number: '101087907'
name: 'A quantum hybrid of atoms and milligram-scale pendulums: towards gravitational
quantum mechanics'
publisher: Institute of Science and Technology Austria
related_material:
record:
- id: '20840'
relation: used_in_publication
status: public
status: public
title: 'Research Data for: ''One-milligram torsional pendulum toward experiments at
the quantum-gravity interface'''
tmp:
image: /images/cc_by.png
legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
short: CC BY (4.0)
type: research_data
user_id: 68b8ca59-c5b3-11ee-8790-cd641c68093d
year: '2025'
...
---
APC_amount: 2933,65 EUR
DOAJ_listed: '1'
OA_place: publisher
OA_type: gold
_id: '14980'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Precision sensing and manipulation of milligram-scale mechanical oscillators
has attracted growing interest in the fields of table-top explorations of gravity
and tests of quantum mechanics at macroscopic scales. Torsional oscillators present
an opportunity in this regard due to their remarked isolation from environmental
noise. For torsional motion, an effective employment of optical cavities to enhance
optomechanical interactions—as already established for linear oscillators—so far
faced certain challenges. Here, we propose a concept for sensing and manipulating
torsional motion, where exclusively the torsional rotations of a pendulum are
mapped onto the path length of a single two-mirror optical cavity. The concept
inherently alleviates many limitations of previous approaches. A proof-of-principle
experiment is conducted with a rigidly controlled pendulum to explore the sensing
aspects of the concept and to identify practical limitations in a potential state-of-the
art setup. Based on this study, we anticipate development of precision torque
sensors utilizing torsional pendulums that can support sensitivities below 10−19Nm/√Hz,
while the motion of the pendulums are dominated by quantum radiation pressure
noise at sub-microwatts of incoming laser power. These developments will provide
horizons for experiments at the interface of quantum mechanics and gravity.
acknowledgement: "We thank Pere Rosselló for his contributions to the initial modeling
of the presented sensing technique. This work was supported by Institute of Science
and Technology Austria, and\r\nthe European Research Council under Grant No. 101087907
(ERC CoG QuHAMP)."
article_number: '013141'
article_processing_charge: Yes
article_type: original
arxiv: 1
author:
- first_name: Sofya
full_name: Agafonova, Sofya
id: 09501ff6-dca7-11ea-a8ae-b3e0b9166e80
last_name: Agafonova
orcid: 0000-0003-0582-2946
- first_name: Umang
full_name: Mishra, Umang
id: 4328fa4c-f128-11eb-9611-c107b0fe4d51
last_name: Mishra
- first_name: Fritz R
full_name: Diorico, Fritz R
id: 2E054C4C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Diorico
orcid: 0000-0002-4947-8924
- first_name: Onur
full_name: Hosten, Onur
id: 4C02D85E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Hosten
orcid: 0000-0002-2031-204X
citation:
ama: Agafonova S, Mishra U, Diorico FR, Hosten O. Zigzag optical cavity for sensing
and controlling torsional motion. Physical Review Research. 2024;6(1).
doi:10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013141
apa: Agafonova, S., Mishra, U., Diorico, F. R., & Hosten, O. (2024). Zigzag
optical cavity for sensing and controlling torsional motion. Physical Review
Research. American Physical Society. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013141
chicago: Agafonova, Sofya, Umang Mishra, Fritz R Diorico, and Onur Hosten. “Zigzag
Optical Cavity for Sensing and Controlling Torsional Motion.” Physical Review
Research. American Physical Society, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013141.
ieee: S. Agafonova, U. Mishra, F. R. Diorico, and O. Hosten, “Zigzag optical cavity
for sensing and controlling torsional motion,” Physical Review Research,
vol. 6, no. 1. American Physical Society, 2024.
ista: Agafonova S, Mishra U, Diorico FR, Hosten O. 2024. Zigzag optical cavity for
sensing and controlling torsional motion. Physical Review Research. 6(1), 013141.
mla: Agafonova, Sofya, et al. “Zigzag Optical Cavity for Sensing and Controlling
Torsional Motion.” Physical Review Research, vol. 6, no. 1, 013141, American
Physical Society, 2024, doi:10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013141.
short: S. Agafonova, U. Mishra, F.R. Diorico, O. Hosten, Physical Review Research
6 (2024).
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2024-02-12T11:42:18Z
date_published: 2024-02-05T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-05-08T09:34:07Z
day: '05'
ddc:
- '530'
department:
- _id: OnHo
doi: 10.1103/physrevresearch.6.013141
external_id:
arxiv:
- '2306.12804'
file:
- access_level: open_access
checksum: 3a39ebffb24c1cc1dd0b547a726dc52d
content_type: application/pdf
creator: dernst
date_created: 2024-02-12T11:46:50Z
date_updated: 2024-02-12T11:46:50Z
file_id: '14981'
file_name: 2024_PhysicalRevResearch_Agafonova.pdf
file_size: 1437167
relation: main_file
success: 1
file_date_updated: 2024-02-12T11:46:50Z
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: ' 6'
issue: '1'
language:
- iso: eng
month: '02'
oa: 1
oa_version: Published Version
project:
- _id: bdb2a702-d553-11ed-ba76-f12e3e5a3bc6
grant_number: '101087907'
name: 'A quantum hybrid of atoms and milligram-scale pendulums: towards gravitational
quantum mechanics'
publication: Physical Review Research
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 2643-1564
publication_status: published
publisher: American Physical Society
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Zigzag optical cavity for sensing and controlling torsional motion
tmp:
image: /images/cc_by.png
legal_code_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
name: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0)
short: CC BY (4.0)
type: journal_article
user_id: 2DF688A6-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
volume: 6
year: '2024'
...
---
_id: '13233'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: We study the impact of finite-range physics on the zero-range-model analysis
of three-body recombination in ultracold atoms. We find that temperature dependence
of the zero-range parameters can vary from one set of measurements to another
as it may be driven by the distribution of error bars in the experiment, and not
by the underlying three-body physics. To study finite-temperature effects in three-body
recombination beyond the zero-range physics, we introduce and examine a finite-range
model based upon a hyperspherical formalism. The systematic error discussed in
this Letter may provide a significant contribution to the error bars of measured
three-body parameters.
acknowledgement: We thank Jan Arlt, Hans-Werner Hammer, and Karsten Riisager for useful
discussions. M.L. acknowledges support by the European Research Council (ERC) Starting
Grant No. 801770 (ANGULON).
article_number: L061304
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: letter_note
arxiv: 1
author:
- first_name: Sofya
full_name: Agafonova, Sofya
id: 09501ff6-dca7-11ea-a8ae-b3e0b9166e80
last_name: Agafonova
orcid: 0000-0003-0582-2946
- first_name: Mikhail
full_name: Lemeshko, Mikhail
id: 37CB05FA-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Lemeshko
orcid: 0000-0002-6990-7802
- first_name: Artem
full_name: Volosniev, Artem
id: 37D278BC-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Volosniev
orcid: 0000-0003-0393-5525
citation:
ama: Agafonova S, Lemeshko M, Volosniev A. Finite-range bias in fitting three-body
loss to the zero-range model. Physical Review A. 2023;107(6). doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.107.L061304
apa: Agafonova, S., Lemeshko, M., & Volosniev, A. (2023). Finite-range bias
in fitting three-body loss to the zero-range model. Physical Review A.
American Physical Society. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.107.L061304
chicago: Agafonova, Sofya, Mikhail Lemeshko, and Artem Volosniev. “Finite-Range
Bias in Fitting Three-Body Loss to the Zero-Range Model.” Physical Review A.
American Physical Society, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.107.L061304.
ieee: S. Agafonova, M. Lemeshko, and A. Volosniev, “Finite-range bias in fitting
three-body loss to the zero-range model,” Physical Review A, vol. 107,
no. 6. American Physical Society, 2023.
ista: Agafonova S, Lemeshko M, Volosniev A. 2023. Finite-range bias in fitting three-body
loss to the zero-range model. Physical Review A. 107(6), L061304.
mla: Agafonova, Sofya, et al. “Finite-Range Bias in Fitting Three-Body Loss to the
Zero-Range Model.” Physical Review A, vol. 107, no. 6, L061304, American
Physical Society, 2023, doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.107.L061304.
short: S. Agafonova, M. Lemeshko, A. Volosniev, Physical Review A 107 (2023).
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2023-07-16T22:01:10Z
date_published: 2023-06-20T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-04-14T07:48:53Z
day: '20'
department:
- _id: MiLe
- _id: OnHo
doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.107.L061304
ec_funded: 1
external_id:
arxiv:
- '2302.01022'
isi:
- '001019748000005'
intvolume: ' 107'
isi: 1
issue: '6'
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2302.01022
month: '06'
oa: 1
oa_version: Preprint
project:
- _id: 2688CF98-B435-11E9-9278-68D0E5697425
call_identifier: H2020
grant_number: '801770'
name: 'Angulon: physics and applications of a new quasiparticle'
publication: Physical Review A
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 2469-9934
issn:
- 2469-9926
publication_status: published
publisher: American Physical Society
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Finite-range bias in fitting three-body loss to the zero-range model
type: journal_article
user_id: 4359f0d1-fa6c-11eb-b949-802e58b17ae8
volume: 107
year: '2023'
...
---
_id: '14749'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: We unveil a powerful method for the stabilization of laser injection locking
based on sensing variations in the output beam ellipticity of an optically seeded
laser. The effect arises due to an interference between the seeding beam and the
injected laser output. We demonstrate the method for a commercial semiconductor
laser without the need for any internal changes to the readily operational injection
locked laser system that was used. The method can also be used to increase the
mode-hop free tuning range of lasers, and has the potential to fill a void in
the low-noise laser industry.
article_processing_charge: No
article_type: original
arxiv: 1
author:
- first_name: Umang
full_name: Mishra, Umang
id: 4328fa4c-f128-11eb-9611-c107b0fe4d51
last_name: Mishra
- first_name: Vyacheslav
full_name: Li, Vyacheslav
id: 3A4FAA92-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Li
- first_name: Sebastian
full_name: Wald, Sebastian
id: 133F200A-B015-11E9-AD41-0EDAE5697425
last_name: Wald
orcid: 0000-0002-5869-1604
- first_name: Sofya
full_name: Agafonova, Sofya
id: 09501ff6-dca7-11ea-a8ae-b3e0b9166e80
last_name: Agafonova
orcid: 0000-0003-0582-2946
- first_name: Fritz R
full_name: Diorico, Fritz R
id: 2E054C4C-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Diorico
orcid: 0000-0002-4947-8924
- first_name: Onur
full_name: Hosten, Onur
id: 4C02D85E-F248-11E8-B48F-1D18A9856A87
last_name: Hosten
orcid: 0000-0002-2031-204X
citation:
ama: Mishra U, Li V, Wald S, Agafonova S, Diorico FR, Hosten O. Monitoring and active
stabilization of laser injection locking using beam ellipticity. Optics Letters.
2023;48(15):3973-3976. doi:10.1364/ol.495553
apa: Mishra, U., Li, V., Wald, S., Agafonova, S., Diorico, F. R., & Hosten,
O. (2023). Monitoring and active stabilization of laser injection locking using
beam ellipticity. Optics Letters. Optica Publishing Group. https://doi.org/10.1364/ol.495553
chicago: Mishra, Umang, Vyacheslav Li, Sebastian Wald, Sofya Agafonova, Fritz R
Diorico, and Onur Hosten. “Monitoring and Active Stabilization of Laser Injection
Locking Using Beam Ellipticity.” Optics Letters. Optica Publishing Group,
2023. https://doi.org/10.1364/ol.495553.
ieee: U. Mishra, V. Li, S. Wald, S. Agafonova, F. R. Diorico, and O. Hosten, “Monitoring
and active stabilization of laser injection locking using beam ellipticity,” Optics
Letters, vol. 48, no. 15. Optica Publishing Group, pp. 3973–3976, 2023.
ista: Mishra U, Li V, Wald S, Agafonova S, Diorico FR, Hosten O. 2023. Monitoring
and active stabilization of laser injection locking using beam ellipticity. Optics
Letters. 48(15), 3973–3976.
mla: Mishra, Umang, et al. “Monitoring and Active Stabilization of Laser Injection
Locking Using Beam Ellipticity.” Optics Letters, vol. 48, no. 15, Optica
Publishing Group, 2023, pp. 3973–76, doi:10.1364/ol.495553.
short: U. Mishra, V. Li, S. Wald, S. Agafonova, F.R. Diorico, O. Hosten, Optics
Letters 48 (2023) 3973–3976.
corr_author: '1'
date_created: 2024-01-08T13:01:46Z
date_published: 2023-07-21T00:00:00Z
date_updated: 2025-12-16T12:52:55Z
day: '21'
department:
- _id: OnHo
doi: 10.1364/ol.495553
external_id:
arxiv:
- '2212.01266'
isi:
- '001051044600008'
intvolume: ' 48'
isi: 1
issue: '15'
keyword:
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- and Optics
language:
- iso: eng
main_file_link:
- open_access: '1'
url: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2212.01266
month: '07'
oa: 1
oa_version: Preprint
page: 3973-3976
publication: Optics Letters
publication_identifier:
eissn:
- 1539-4794
issn:
- 0146-9592
publication_status: published
publisher: Optica Publishing Group
quality_controlled: '1'
scopus_import: '1'
status: public
title: Monitoring and active stabilization of laser injection locking using beam ellipticity
type: journal_article
user_id: 317138e5-6ab7-11ef-aa6d-ffef3953e345
volume: 48
year: '2023'
...