Resonant optomechanics with a vibrating carbon nanotube and a radio-frequency cavity

TL;DR

This paper investigates resonant optomechanical coupling between a vibrating carbon nanotube and a radio-frequency cavity, demonstrating enhanced interaction and potential for quantum-limited motion measurement.

Contribution

It introduces a resonant regime for carbon nanotube and RF cavity coupling, showing enhanced vacuum optomechanical interaction via DC voltage tuning.

Findings

Enhanced optomechanical coupling observed

Interference between mechanical and electrical oscillations demonstrated

Mechanical ring-down measured, indicating potential for quantum-limited detection

Abstract

In an optomechanical setup, the coupling between cavity and resonator can be increased by tuning them to the same frequency. We study this interaction between a carbon nanotube resonator and a radio-frequency circuit. In this resonant regime, the vacuum optomechanical coupling is enhanced by the DC voltage coupling the cavity and the mechanical resonator. Using the cavity to detect the nanotube's motion, we observe and simulate interference between mechanical and electrical oscillations. We measure the mechanical ring-down and show that further improvements to the system could enable measurement of mechanical motion at the quantum limit.