Beyond linear coupling in microwave optomechanics

Cattiaux, D.; Zhou, X.; Kumar, S.; Golokolenov, I.; Gazizulin, R. R.; Luck, A.; Mercier De L�pinay, L; Sillanp��, M.; Armour, A. D.; Fefferman, A.; Collin, E.

Abstract

We explore the nonlinear dynamics of a cavity optomechanical system. Our realization consisting of a drumhead nano-electro-mechanical resonator (NEMS) coupled to a microwave cavity, allows for a nearly ideal platform to study the nonlinearities arising purely due to radiation-pressure physics. Experiments are performed under a strong microwave Stokes pumping which triggers mechanical self-sustained oscillations. We analyze the results in the framework of an extended nonlinear optome-chanical theory, and demonstrate that quadratic and cubic coupling terms in the opto-mechanical Hamiltonian have to be considered. Quantitative agreement with the measurements is obtained considering only genuine geometrical nonlinearities: no thermo-optical instabilities are observed, in contrast with laser-driven systems. Based on these results, we describe a method to quantify nonlin-ear properties of microwave optomechanical devices. Such a technique, available now in the quantum electro-mechanics toolbox, but completely generic, is mandatory for the development of new schemes where higher-order coupling terms are proposed as a new resource, like Quantum Non-Demolition measurements, or in the search for new fundamental quantum signatures, like Quantum Gravity. We also find that the motion imprints a wide comb of extremely narrow peaks in the microwave output field, which could also be exploited in specific microwave-based measurements, potentially limited only by the quantum noise of the optical and the mechanical fields for a ground-state cooled NEMS device.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 4, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Sep 24, 2020
• Publication Date: Sep 24, 2020
• Deposit Date: Sep 24, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 29, 2020
• Journal: Physical Review Research
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Article Number: 033480
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.2.033480
• Keywords: Mechanics; Condensed Matter Physics; Quantum Physics; Quantum Information
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4922432
• Publisher URL: https://journals.aps.org/prresearch/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.033480