Enhanced quantum nonlinearities in a two mode optomechanical system

TL;DR

This paper explores a two-mode optomechanical system that enhances quantum nonlinearities, enabling improved photon-phonon interactions and quantum non-demolition detection of photons and phonons.

Contribution

It introduces a setup with two optical modes and one mechanical mode in the single-photon strong coupling regime, demonstrating enhanced interactions near resonance.

Findings

Photon-phonon interactions are significantly enhanced near resonance.

The system enables dispersive phonon detection in a new regime.

Potential for optomechanical photon measurement is demonstrated.

Abstract

In cavity optomechanics, nanomechanical motion couples to a localized optical mode. The regime of single-photon strong coupling is reached when the optical shift induced by a single phonon becomes comparable to the cavity linewidth. We consider a setup in this regime comprising two optical modes and one mechanical mode. For mechanical frequencies nearly resonant to the optical level splitting, we find the photon-phonon and the photon-photon interactions to be significantly enhanced. In addition to dispersive phonon detection in a novel regime, this offers the prospect of optomechanical photon measurement. We study these QND detection processes using both analytical and numerical approaches.