When nearby materials steal energy
This discovery highlights a material-level barrier to scaling quantum sensors, forcing developers to rethink resonator placement and dielectric selection to preserve coherence and efficiency.

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Subjects Imaging and sensingOptomechanicsSurfaces, interfaces and thin films Integrating high-quality-factor mechanical resonators into devices brings them close to materials, which leads to losses. Systematic studies in dielectric environments reveal that dielectrics ‘steal’ energy through charge fluctuations. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution Access options Access through your institution Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription $32.99 / 30 days cancel any time Learn more Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Rent or buy this article Prices vary by article type from$1.95 to$39.95 Learn more Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Fig. 1: Competing dissipation channels in a vibrating nanomechanical resonator near a substrate. ReferencesReinhardt, C., Müller, T., Bourassa, A. & Sankey, J. C. Phys. Rev. X 6, 021001 (2016).
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Kippenberg Nature Physics Article Open Access 07 Jul 2026
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