Self-Excitation and Feedback Cooling of an Isolated Proton

The first one-proton self-excited oscillator (SEO) and one-proton feedback cooling are demonstrated. In a Penning trap with a large magnetic gradient, the SEO frequency is resolved to the high precision needed to detect a one-proton spin flip. This is after undamped magnetron motion is sideband cooled to a 14 mK theoretical limit, and despite random frequency shifts (typically larger than those from a spin flip) that take place every time sideband cooling is applied. The observations open a possible path towards a million-fold improved comparison of the p and p magnetic moments.