Cavity-assisted squeezing of a mechanical oscillator

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how squeezed light can be used to generate and transfer squeezing to a mechanical oscillator in an opto-mechanical system, achieving significant squeezing transfer and predicting observable effects beyond ground state cooling.

Contribution

It introduces a method for transferring squeezing from light to a mechanical oscillator using cavity opto-mechanics, with detailed conditions for effective squeezing transfer.

Findings

Approximately 60% of light squeezing is transferred to the mechanical oscillator.

Effective squeezing transfer requires specific carrier frequency and bandwidth conditions.

Mechanical squashing can be observed even outside ground state cooling regimes.

Abstract

We investigate the creation of squeezed states of a vibrating membrane or a movable mirror in an opto-mechanical system. An optical cavity is driven by squeezed light and couples via radiation pressure to the membrane/mirror, effectively providing a squeezed heat-bath for the mechanical oscillator. Under the conditions of laser cooling to the ground state, we find an efficient transfer of squeezing with roughly 60% of light squeezing conveyed to the membrane/mirror (on a dB scale). We determine the requirements on the carrier frequency and the bandwidth of squeezed light. Beyond the conditions of ground state cooling, we predict mechanical squashing to be observable in current systems.