Feedback Cooling of a One-Electron Oscillator

Abstract

A one-electron oscillator is cooled from 5.2 K to 850 mK using electronic feedback. Novel quantum jump thermometry reveals a Boltzmann distribution of oscillator energies and directly measures the corresponding temperature. The ratio of electron temperature and damping rate (also directly measured) is observed to be a fluctuation-dissipation invariant, independent of feedback gain, as predicted for noiseless feedback. The sharply reduced linewidth that results from feedback cooling illustrates the likely importance for improved fundamental measurements and symmetry tests.