Scattering theory of cooling and heating in opto-mechanical systems

TL;DR

This paper develops a one-dimensional scattering theory to analyze how light interacts with moving scatterers, such as mirrors and atoms, accounting for multiple scattering effects and deriving forces like friction and diffusion.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive scattering framework that describes opto-mechanical interactions with multiple scattering to all orders, applicable to mirrors and atoms.

Findings

Derived friction and diffusion forces on a moving mirror.

Extended the model to describe light's mechanical effects on atoms.

Provided a unified approach for opto-mechanical scattering phenomena.

Abstract

We present a one-dimensional scattering theory which enables us to describe a wealth of effects arising from the coupling of the motional degree of freedom of scatterers to the electromagnetic field. Multiple scattering to all orders is taken into account. The theory is applied to describe the scheme of a Fabry-Perot resonator with one of its mirrors moving. The friction force, as well as the diffusion, acting on the moving mirror is derived. In the limit of a small reflection coefficient, the same model provides for the description of the mechanical effect of light on an atom moving in front of a mirror.