2014/09/30 by Andreas Sawadsky, A. Sawadsky, H. Kaufer +7 · 2 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies #Cavity quantum electrodynamics #Coupling (piping) #Dissipative system #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Interferometry #Laser #Materials science #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Michelson interferometer #Open quantum system #Optical cavity #Optics #Optomechanics #Physics #Quantum #Quantum electrodynamics #Quantum mechanics #Quantum optics #Radiation pressure #Resonance (particle physics) #cond-mat.mes-hall #gr-qc #physics.optics #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.114.043601
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 043601 (2015)
arxiv created 2015/01/26 · openalex publication_date 2015/01/26 · arxiv updated 2015/02/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Optomechanical coupling between a light field and the motion of a cavity mirror via radiation pressure plays an important role for the exploration of macroscopic quantum physics and for the detection of gravitational waves (GWs). It has been used to cool mechanical oscillators into their quantum ground states and has been considered to boost the sensitivity of GW detectors, e.g., via the optical spring effect. Here, we present the experimental characterization of generalized, that is, dispersive and dissipative, optomechanical coupling, with a macroscopic (1.5 mm)2-size silicon nitride membrane in a cavity-enhanced Michelson-type interferometer. We report for the first time strong optomechanical cooling based on dissipative coupling, even on cavity resonance, in excellent agreement with theory. Our result will allow for new experimental regimes in macroscopic quantum physics and GW detection.