Slowing and stopping light using an optomechanical crystal array

TL;DR

This paper proposes a new on-chip optomechanical system that can dynamically delay, store, and retrieve optical information by transferring light into mechanical vibrations, with potential applications in classical and quantum optical networks.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach using an optomechanical crystal array coupled to a waveguide for coherent light storage and delay, advancing optical buffering technology.

Findings

Capable of large bandwidths and long delay times

Achieves on-chip, compact optical storage

Potential for quantum and classical information processing

Abstract

One of the major advances needed to realize all-optical information processing of light is the ability to delay or coherently store and retrieve optical information in a rapidly tunable manner. In the classical domain, this optical buffering is expected to be a key ingredient to managing the flow of information over complex optical networks. Such a system also has profound implications for quantum information processing, serving as a long-term memory that can store the full quantum information contained in an optical pulse. Here we suggest a novel approach to light storage involving an optical waveguide coupled to an optomechanical crystal array, where light in the waveguide can be dynamically and coherently transferred into long-lived mechanical vibrations of the array. Under realistic conditions, this system is capable of achieving large bandwidths and storage/delay times in a compact, on-chip platform.