Quantum rotations of nanoparticles

Abstract: Rotations of microscale rigid bodies exhibit pronounced quantum phenomena that do not exist for their center-of-mass motion. By levitating nanoparticles in ultra-high vacuum, researchers are developing a promising platform for observing and exploiting these quantum effects in an unexplored mass and size regime. Recent experimental and theoretical breakthroughs demonstrate exquisite control of nanoscale rotations, setting the stage for the first table-top tests of rotational superpositions and for the next generation of ultra-precise torque sensors. Here, we review the experimental state of the art and discuss promising routes towards macroscopic quantum rotations.