Source-linked AI summary
Quantum-criticality-induced strong Kerr nonlinearities in optomechanical systems
Xin-You Lü, Wei-Min Zhang, Sahel Ashhab, Ying Wu, Franco Nori
TL;DR
Strong Kerr nonlinearities in optomechanics are desirable even when optomechanical coupling is weak. This paper uses a microwave-driven hybrid system near electromechanical quantum criticality to obtain strong photon interactions, photon blockade, and nonclassical states.
Problem
Strong Kerr nonlinearities are desirable in optomechanical systems with weak single-photon coupling.
Source: p. 1Method
A strong microwave drive tunes a hybrid electromechanical subsystem near its quantum critical point, inducing controllable Kerr nonlinearity in the optical cavity.
Source: pp. 1–2Results
Even in the weak-coupling regime, η can exceed κa near criticality, and the system exhibits photon blockade and multi-component cat states.
Source: pp. 3–4Takeaways & Limitations
Tuning microwave-drive parameters provides a proposed route to strong optical nonlinearities and nonclassical states in the weak-coupling regime.
Source: pp. 1, 4The model assumes white vacuum noise for the microwave cavity and a thermal white-noise bath for the mechanical oscillator.
Source: p. 3
Abstract
from arXiv · showhide
We investigate a hybrid electro-optomechanical system that allows us to obtain controllable strong Kerr nonlinearities in the weak-coupling regime. We show that when the controllable electromechanical subsystem is close to its quantum critical point, strong photon-photon interactions can be generated by adjusting the intensity (or frequency) of the microwave driving field. Nonlinear optical phenomena, such as the appearance of the photon blockade and the generation of nonclassical states (e.g., Schr\"{o}dinger cat states), are predicted in the weak-coupling regime, which is feasible for most current optomechanical experiments.