The quantum description of reality requires that the position of a mechanical resonator must fluctuate, a result of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.  We have performed experiments with micron scale mechanical resonators where we have measured these quantum fluctuations and then using a technique developed by Aash Clerk and coworkers, we have manipulated the fluctuations so that for moments in time, the fluctuations are 4 db less than then quantum zero-point value, realizing a quadrature squeezed state of motion.  I will go on to describe new experiments with superfluid helium to explore quantize motion at gram scale.

The P/T colloquium website is: http://p25ext.lanl.gov/schedule.php?type=coll