| Summary: | The majority of the devices and instruments that we interact with in our daily life have been made accessible to us by (re-)engineering a technology that was once only available to a few researchers in highly specialized laboratories. Bridging the gap between the state-of-the-art instrumentation of research laboratories, which is usually specific to a narrow application, and the broader needs of society is a critical task that can have a transformative effect in society. Design for accessibility is the practice of developing systems that can be used by and provide solutions to as many people as possible. Although there is not a unique approach to design for accessibility, general good practices, such as a reduction in cost, size, or complexity, contribute to it. In this thesis, some of these practices are discussed via practical examples and the importance of considering accessibility as a functional requirement in engineering design is highlighted.
The first part of this thesis describes the design of a compact source of quantum squeezed vacuum states. Squeezed vacuum states are electromagnetic vacuum states with enhanced statistics that can be leveraged to improve the sensitivity of instruments beyond the quantum limit. They also constitute the stepping stone for the creation of highly entangled states with high fidelity, an essential resource for continuous-variable quantum information processing. However, the generation and handling of these fragile states is complex and resource-intensive, limiting the potential of the associated technologies. Using novel optical cavity control techniques and a combination of fiber and free space optics, the presented design reduces the total number and size of the required components, leading to a final system with a compact footprint. Such a system has the potential to expand the capabilities of quantum information research laboratories by giving them access to prepared quantum states without the need for large, complex optical setups. This work also presents the development and implementation of the seismic isolator of the advanced LIGO squeezed source. It is a tabletop, ultra-high vacuum compatible passive vibration isolation platform with active damping control. Its innovative architecture is demonstrated to meet the stringent requirements of gravitational-wave interferometers, advancing the field’s suspension technology to be simpler yet more adaptable. Two units of this isolation system have been reliably operating at the LIGO observatories, contributing to an increase in gravitational-wave detection rate of more than 40%.
The second part of the thesis is dedicated to technologies with biomedical applications. A comprehensive framework for the evaluation of universal pathogen detection platforms is introduced, and the potential of vibrational-spectroscopy based biosensors is evaluated. In particular, the benefits and limitations of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy coupled with machine learning techniques are highlighted through a review of the state of the art and exemplified with a case study on its application to SARS-CoV-2 detection. Similarly, the advantage of Raman-based platforms for high molecular specificity applications is introduced and the potential of advanced Raman techniques is analyzed. Finally, the design and development of a novel, biomimicry-inspired laparoscopic device for myomectomy surgeries is also discussed.
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