Laser Cooling of a

Nanomechanical
Oscillator
Jasper Chan et. al.
Presented by: Clinton Potts

Overview
Experimental Motivation
Optomechanics
Sideband Cooling
Nanomechanical Oscillator
Measurement Technique
Results
Future Work
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Experimental Motivation
Observe quantum mechanical behavior in a
mesoscopic system
Mesoscopic Billions of atoms

Similar work performed using

cryogenic cooling techniques
25

Solely cryogenic cooling not

realizable for many devices

~
OConnell, Nature 464, 697-703 (2010)

Optomechanics
Crookes radiometer
Photons carry momentum
Radiation Pressure

High finesse cavities increase

momentum transfer
www.envirogadget.com

Optical field couples to

the mechanical motion
Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Optical Resonator
High population of photons at resonant frequency
Population quickly drops off

Optical decay rate -

Related to Finesse

Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Optomechanical Resonator
Optical Cavity consists two mirrors
Fixed Mirror
Movable mirror attached to Spring

Movable mirror act as simple harmonic oscillator

Motion described by phonons

Sideband Cooling
=
Non-Sideband Resolved

>

Sideband Resolved

<

Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Phonon-Photon Interactions
Three processes possible
Photon Absorption (Grey)
Phonon Creation (Red, Stokes)
Phonon Annihilation (Blue, Anti-Stokes)

8
Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Ground State Cooling

To maximize Anti-Stokes scattering

=
High Density of States within cavity
Low Density of States outside cavity

9
Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Nano-Mechanical Device
Silicon Nanobeam
Device pre-cooled to 20K
Laser coupled via tapered fiber

10

Measurement and Results

=

(( )2 +( 2)2 )

Average number of phonons

Total mechanical damping
rate

Measured from transmitted drive laser

Phonon number determined via curve fitting

11

Measurement and Results

= . .
Average number of
Phonons
Cooling limited by
increased bath temperature
Due to high intensity field
12

Going Forward
Not a true quantum mechanical measurement
Classical measurement of quantum system

Measured average number of phonons

Detection of discrete
phonon values more direct
proof of quantum
mechanics

13
Markus Aspelmeyer, Cavity Optomechanics (2013)

Questions

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