Quantum-criticality-induced strong Kerr nonlinearities in optomechanical systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how quantum criticality in a hybrid electro-optomechanical system can induce strong Kerr nonlinearities, enabling photon blockade and nonclassical state generation in the weak-coupling regime.

Contribution

It introduces a method to achieve strong photon-photon interactions near the quantum critical point in a controllable hybrid system, even with weak coupling.

Findings

Strong Kerr nonlinearities are achievable near the quantum critical point.

Photon blockade can be realized in the weak-coupling regime.

Nonclassical states like Schrödinger cat states can be generated.

Abstract

We investigate a hybrid electro-optomechanical system that allows us to obtain controllable strong Kerr nonlinearities in the weak-coupling regime. We show that when the controllable electromechanical subsystem is close to its quantum critical point, strong photon-photon interactions can be generated by adjusting the intensity (or frequency) of the microwave driving field. Nonlinear optical phenomena, such as the appearance of the photon blockade and the generation of nonclassical states (e.g., Schr\"{o}dinger cat states), are predicted in the weak-coupling regime, which is feasible for most current optomechanical experiments.