Single-photon Optomechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores the regime where single photons significantly displace mechanical oscillators, revealing complex spectral features, non-Gaussian states, and the transition from weak to strong coupling in optomechanical systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates the spectral and dynamical signatures of single-photon strong coupling and introduces methods to detect and utilize non-Gaussian states in optomechanics.

Findings

Multiple sidebands in the power spectrum at single-photon regime

Resonances in cavity response in the resolved-sideband limit

Non-Gaussian steady-states of the mechanical oscillator

Abstract

Optomechanics experiments are rapidly approaching the regime where the radiation pressure of a single photon displaces the mechanical oscillator by more than its zero-point uncertainty. We show that in this limit the power spectrum has multiple sidebands and that the cavity response has several resonances in the resolved-sideband limit. Using master-equation simulations, we also study the crossover from the weak-coupling many-photon to the single-photon strong-coupling regime. Finally, we find non-Gaussian steady-states of the mechanical oscillator when multi-photon transitions are resonant. Our study provides the tools to detect and take advantage of this novel regime of optomechanics.