Cooling by heating

TL;DR

This paper proposes and analyzes a counter-intuitive method of cooling quantum systems using incoherent thermal light, which enhances mode coupling and coherence, especially in opto-mechanical systems, with potential for experimental realization.

Contribution

It introduces the novel concept of cooling by heating through incoherent thermal light and explores its application in opto-mechanical systems.

Findings

Thermal light can enhance coupling between quantum modes.

The effect can be described using stochastic sampling of Gaussian states.

Potential for experimental demonstration with current technology.

Abstract

We introduce the idea of actually cooling quantum systems by means of incoherent thermal light, hence giving rise to a counter-intuitive mechanism of "cooling by heating". In this effect, the mere incoherent occupation of a quantum mechanical mode serves as a trigger to enhance the coupling between other modes. This notion of effectively rendering states more coherent by driving with incoherent thermal quantum noise is applied here to the opto-mechanical setting, where this effect occurs most naturally. We discuss two ways of describing this situation, one of them making use of stochastic sampling of Gaussian quantum states with respect to stationary classical stochastic processes. The potential of experimentally demonstrating this counter-intuitive effect in opto-mechanical systems with present technology is sketched.