Circuit analog of quadratic optomechanics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a superconducting circuit design that simulates quadratic optomechanics, potentially achieving strong coupling and enabling new quantum experiments.

Contribution

It presents a novel circuit architecture that mimics quadratic optomechanical interactions with tunable coupling strength, surpassing previous experimental capabilities.

Findings

Potential to reach strong-coupling regime

Coupling strength can be increased by five orders of magnitude

Simulation of quadratic optomechanical systems in superconducting circuits

Abstract

We propose a superconducting electrical circuit that simulates a quadratic optomechanical system. A capacitor placed between two transmission-line (TL) resonators acts like a semi-transparent membrane, and a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) that terminates a TL resonator behaves like a movable mirror. Combining these circuit elements, it is possible to simulate a quadratic optomechanical coupling whose coupling strength is determined by the coupling capacitance and the tunable bias flux through the SQUIDs. Estimates using realistic parameters suggest that an improvement in the coupling strength could be realized, to five orders of magnitude from what has been observed in membrane-in-the-middle cavity optomechanical systems. This leads to the possibility of achieving the strong-coupling regime of quadratic optomechanics.