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Thomas Purdy (Fed)

Tom Purdy is currently a physicist in the Quantum Optics Group, Quantum Measurement Division, PML at NIST. Dr. Purdy is interested in harnessing the quantum effects intrinsic in the mechanical interaction of light with macroscopic mechanical resonators to improve measurement and metrology. Previously, Dr. Purdy has worked on a wide variety of optomechanical systems as a postdoctoral researcher at JILA and in his graduate work at UC Berkeley.

Awards and Honors:

2010 National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship

Selected Publications

Observation of Radiation Pressure Shot Noise on a Macroscopic Object, T. P. Purdy, R. W. Peterson, and C. A. Regal. Science 339, 801 (2013)

Strong Optomechanical Squeezing of Light, T. P. Purdy. P.-L. Yu, N. S. Kampel, R. W. Peterson, and C. A. Regal. Phys. Rev. X 3, 031012 (2013)

Bidirectional and efficient conversion between microwave and optical light, R. W. Andrews, R. W. Peterson, T. P. Purdy, K. Cicak, R. W. Simmonds, C. A. Regal, and K. W. Lehnert. Nature Physics 10, 321 (2014)

Publications

Quantum-based vacuum metrology at NIST

Author(s)
Julia K. Scherschligt, James A. Fedchak, Zeeshan Ahmed, Daniel S. Barker, Kevin O. Douglass, Stephen P. Eckel, Edward T. Hanson, Jay H. Hendricks, Thomas P. Purdy, Jacob E. Ricker, Robinjeet Singh
The measurement science in realizing and disseminating the SI unit for pressure, the pascal (Pa), has been the subject of much interest at NIST. Modern optical

Optomechanical Quantum Correlations at Room Temperature

Author(s)
Thomas P. Purdy, Karen E. Grutter, Kartik A. Srinivasan, Jacob M. Taylor
By shining laser light through a nanomechanical beam, we measure the beam’s thermally driven vibrations and perturb its motion with optical forces at a level

Optomechanical Quantum Correlations

Author(s)
Thomas P. Purdy, Karen E. Grutter, Kartik A. Srinivasan, Nikolai N. Klimov, Zeeshan Ahmed, Jacob M. Taylor
We present methods to measure optical quantum correlations arising from an optomechanical interaction even when large classical noise sources are present. We

Patents (2018-Present)

Photonic Quantum Dew Point Sensor

NIST Inventors
Tobias Herman , Nikolai Klimov and Thomas Purdy
A photonic quantum dew point sensor determines a dew point of an analyte and includes a common substrate; a photonic dew sensor on the common substrate and exposed for direct contact with the analyte; a photonic temperature sensor on the common substrate; an optomechanical temperature sensor on the

Optomechanical Pressure Measurement System And Method Using The Vibrational Modes Of A Membrane

NIST Inventors
Stephen Eckel , James A. Fedchak , Thomas Purdy and Robinjeet Singh
An optomechanical pressure-measurement system measures pressure in the range of 10.sup.−6 Pa-10.sup.−2 Pa by measuring various properties of a vibrational mode of an ultra-thin membrane member. With independent measurements of the thickness and density of the membrane, in addition to the measured
A line drawing showing the entire structure, which includes the resonator and supporting substrate.

Reticulated Resonator, Process for Making and Use of Same

NIST Inventors
Raymond Simmonds , Katarina Cicak , Cindy Regal and Thomas Purdy
A reticulated resonator includes: a reticulated substrate that includes: a substrate frame; and a phononic structure in mechanical communication with the substrate frame and including a plurality of unit members arranged in a two-dimensional array; and a membrane disposed on the reticulated
Created July 30, 2019, Updated December 8, 2022