Dissipative Optomechanics in High-Frequency Nanomechanical Resonators

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the first high-frequency dissipative optomechanical system operating in the sideband-resolved regime, significantly advancing control over mechanical and optical interactions for quantum information applications.

Contribution

It introduces a novel high-frequency dissipative optomechanical device functioning in the sideband-resolved regime, surpassing previous frequency and coupling rate limitations.

Findings

Achieved operation in the sideband-resolved regime with high mechanical frequency.

Demonstrated reshaping of optical and mechanical spectra due to dissipative coupling.

Realized a two-order-of-magnitude increase in mechanical frequency and tenfold increase in coupling rate.

Abstract

The coherent transduction of information between microwave and optical domains is a fundamental building block for future quantum networks. A promising way to bridge these widely different frequencies is using high-frequency nanomechanical resonators interacting with low-loss optical modes. State-of-the-art optomechanical devices rely on purely dispersive interactions that are enhanced by a large photon population in the cavity. Additionally, one could use dissipative optomechanics, where photons can be scattered directly from a waveguide into a resonator hence increasing the degree of control of the acousto-optic interplay. Hitherto, such dissipative optomechanical interaction was only demonstrated at low mechanical frequencies, precluding prominent applications such as the quantum state transfer between photonic and phononic domains. Here, we show the first dissipative optomechanical system operating in the sideband-resolved regime, where the mechanical frequency is larger than the optical linewidth. Exploring this unprecedented regime, we demonstrate the impact of dissipative optomechanical coupling in reshaping both mechanical and optical spectra. Our figures represent a two-order-of-magnitude leap in the mechanical frequency and a tenfold increase in the dissipative optomechanical coupling rate compared to previous works. Further advances could enable the individual addressing of mechanical modes and help mitigate optical nonlinearities and absorption in optomechanical devices.