13 // Relativistic Resonator Dynamic Measurement

Static plates provide one measurement channel. For higher sensitivity, we use the Dynamical Casimir Effect (DCE): a mirror moving at relativistic speeds through a vacuum generates real photons out of virtual ones.

The problem: We cannot physically move a mirror at 5% the speed of light.

The solution: An array of Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs) terminates a superconducting transmission line. By modulating the magnetic flux through the SQUIDs at gigahertz frequencies, we change the "electrical length" of the line. To the vacuum field, this looks exactly like a mirror moving at relativistic speeds.

The vacuum responds to this virtual moving boundary by emitting a stream of microwave photons — real photons generated from vacuum fluctuations. This is experimentally verified physics (Wilson et al., Nature, 2011). Our contribution is scaling it from a laboratory demonstration to a systematic measurement platform.

SQUID SUPPLIER: Hypres (USA) / SeeQC (USA/Italy)
FREQUENCY: 100+ GHz modulation
OUTPUT: Microwave photon stream from vacuum fluctuations