Cavity Optomechanics: Back-Action at the Mesoscale

2008/08/29 by Tobias J. Kippenberg, Kerry J. Vahala · 8 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Engineering · #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications

paper · doi:10.1126/science.1156032

openalex publication_date 2008/08/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

The coupling of optical and mechanical degrees of freedom is the underlying principle of many techniques to measure mechanical displacement, from macroscale gravitational wave detectors to microscale cantilevers used in scanning probe microscopy. Recent experiments have reached a regime where the back-action of photons caused by radiation pressure can influence the optomechanical dynamics, giving rise to a host of long-anticipated phenomena. Here we review these developments and discuss the opportunities for innovative technology as well as for fundamental science.

Citations

• Strong dispersive coupling of a high finesse cavity to a micromechanical membrane
• An all-optical trap for a gram-scale mirror
• Optomechanical Cooling of a Macroscopic Oscillator by Homodyne Feedback
• Acceleration and Trapping of Particles by Radiation Pressure
• Cavity Optomechanics
• Passive Cooling of a Micromechanical Oscillator with a Resonant Electric Circuit

Cited by

• Proposal for an optomechanical traveling wave phonon–photon translator
• Electromagnetically induced transparency and slow light with optomechanics
• Sideband cooling of micromechanical motion to the quantum ground state
• Feedback Control in Quantum Optics: An Overview of Experimental Breakthroughs and Areas of Application
• Electrostriction and guidance of acoustic phonons in optical fibers
• Cavity quantum electro-optics
• Electromagnetically induced transparency and slow light in two-mode optomechanics
• Kerry Vahala [wikipedia]