Optomechanics with a polarization non-degenerate cavity

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates optomechanical interactions in a polarization nondegenerate cavity, proposing methods for precise thermometry and novel photon-phonon entanglement, expanding the use of photon polarization in optomechanics.

Contribution

It introduces an experimental system with polarization splitting in a cavity and proposes schemes for enhanced thermometry and entanglement using polarization degrees of freedom.

Findings

Successful realization of polarization nondegenerate cavity

Proposed schemes for side-band thermometry

Potential for new photon-phonon entanglement forms

Abstract

Experiments in the field of optomechanics do not yet fully exploit the photon polarization degree of freedom. Here experimental results for an optomechanical interaction in a polarization nondegenerate system are presented and schemes are proposed for how to use this interaction to perform accurate side-band thermometry and to create novel forms of photon-phonon entanglement. The experimental system utilizes the compressive force in the mirror attached to a mechanical resonator to create a micro-mirror with two radii of curvature which leads, when combined with a second mirror, to a significant polarization splitting of the cavity modes.