Colloquia & Guest Speakers
Cavity Optomechanics for Quantum Technologies and Biosensing
Daniel Ramos, PhD, Senior Scientist, Materials Science Institute of Madrid
Monday, November 9, 2026
3:30 p.m.
Presented in person in Goergen 101 and on Zoom
Abstract
Cavity optomechanics offers a versatile approach to measuring and controlling mechanical motion with light. In this talk, I will present recent work from our laboratory on optomechanical platforms for quantum technologies and biosensing. I will discuss how engineering optical and mechanical resonances can enhance their coupling, improve measurement sensitivity, and enable coherent mechanical dynamics. A central theme will be the role of dissipation and measurement noise, with an emphasis on the experimental challenges of approaching quantum limits. I will also show how these principles can be applied to probe the physical properties of biological systems. Together, these examples will illustrate how advances in device design and optical readout can address fundamental questions in quantum measurement and support new approaches to biological sensing.
Biography
Daniel Ramos is a Senior Scientist at the Materials Science Institute of Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), where he leads the Optomechanics Lab. He is Deputy Director of CSIC’s new Quantum Advanced Research Center (QuARC) and coordinates the Quantum Sensors area at CSIC. He received his PhD in Physics from Complutense University of Madrid in 2009 and held postdoctoral positions at Yale and Harvard, the latter as a Marie Curie Fellow. His research focuses on optomechanics and nanophotonics for quantum technologies and biosensing. He is also co-founder of Nanological, a CSIC spin-off developing optomechanical technologies for rapid pathogen identification.