Loss-induced transparency in optomechanics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that optical transparency in an optomechanical system can be induced by loss, enabling tunable optical switching through loss engineering near exceptional points.

Contribution

It reveals the counterintuitive phenomenon of loss-induced transparency in optomechanics and explores its potential for tunable optical devices.

Findings

Optical transparency can be achieved at high absorption regimes.

Loss enhancement via an external nanotip induces transparency.

Transparency and light speed can be controlled near exceptional points.

Abstract

We study optomechanically induced transparency (OMIT) in a compound system consisting of coupled optical resonators and a mechanical mode, focusing on the unconventional role of loss. We find that optical transparency can emerge at the otherwise strongly absorptive regime in the OMIT spectrum, by using an external nanotip to enhance the optical loss. In particular, loss-induced revival of optical transparency and the associated slow-to-fast light switch can be identified in the vicinity of an exceptional point. These results open up a counterintuitive way to engineer micro-mechanical devices with tunable losses for e.g., coherent optical switch and communications.