# Optomechanical coupling in the Anderson-localization regime

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how disorder in one-dimensional optomechanical crystals can be harnessed to enhance optomechanical coupling, challenging the traditional view of imperfections as detrimental.

## Contribution

It demonstrates that disorder can be exploited as a resource to improve optomechanical coupling in nanostructures with full phononic and photonic bandgaps.

## Key findings

- Disorder can enhance optomechanical coupling beyond engineered structures.
- Quantification of disorder's role in a 1D optomechanical crystal.
- Potential for new optomechanical device design strategies.

## Abstract

Optomechanical crystals, purposely designed and fabricated semiconductor nanostructures, are used to enhance the coupling between the electromagnetic field and the mechanical vibrations of matter at the nanoscale. However, in real optomechanical crystals, imperfections open extra channels where the transfer of energy is lost, reducing the optomechanical coupling eficiency. Here, we quantify the role of disorder in a paradigmatic one-dimensional optomechanical crystal with full phononic and photonic bandgaps. We show how disorder can be exploited as a resource to enhance the optomechanical coupling beyond engineered structures, thus providing a new toolset for optomechanics.