Single-Atom Cavity QED and Opto-Micromechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores the strong coupling between a single atom and a mechanical membrane via a high finesse cavity, enabling quantum state transfer and entanglement in cavity optomechanics.

Contribution

It extends cavity QED techniques to optomechanical systems, providing detailed analysis and demonstrating potential for non-classical state preparation.

Findings

Strong atom-membrane coupling achievable beyond decoherence rates

Numerical and analytical results for quantum state transfer

Feasibility of preparing and verifying non-classical states

Abstract

In a recent publication [K. Hammerer et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 103, 063005 (2009)] we have shown the possibility to achieve strong coupling of the quantized motion of a micron-sized mechanical system to the motion of a single trapped atom. In the proposed setup the coherent coupling between a SiN membrane and a single atom is mediated by the field of a high finesse cavity, and can be much larger than the relevant decoherence rates. This makes the well-developed tools of CQED (cavity quantum electrodynamics) with single atoms available in the realm of cavity optomechanics. In this paper we elaborate on this scheme and provide detailed derivations and technical comments. Moreover, we give numerical as well as analytical results for a number of possible applications for transfer of squeezed or Fock states from atom to membrane as well as entanglement generation, taking full account of dissipation. In the limit of strong-coupling the preparation and verification of non-classical states of a mesoscopic mechanical system is within reach.