Using dark modes for high-fidelity optomechanical quantum state transfer

Abstract

In a recent publication (Wang and Clerk 2012 Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 153603), we demonstrated that one can use interference to significantly increase the fidelity of state transfer between two electromagnetic cavities coupled to a common mechanical resonator over a naive sequential-transfer scheme based on two swap operations. This involved making use of a delocalized electromagnetic mode which is decoupled from the mechanical resonator, a so-called 'mechanically dark' mode. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a new 'hybrid' state transfer scheme that incorporates the best elements of the dark-mode scheme (protection against mechanical dissipation) and the doubleswap scheme (fast operation time). Importantly, this new scheme also does not require the mechanical resonator to be prepared initially in its ground state. We also provide additional details of the previously described interferenceenhanced transfer schemes, and provide an enhanced discussion of how the interference physics here is intimately related to the optomechanical analogue of electromagnetically induced transparency. We also compare the various transfer schemes over a wide range of relevant experimental parameters, producing a 'phase diagram' showing the optimal transfer scheme for different points in parameter space.

Strong opto-electro-mechanical coupling in a silicon photonic crystal cavity

“…Moreover, an integrated MEMSoptomechanics technology could allow for up-conversion of low-frequency electrical signals to an optical carrier, mediated by an intermediate mechanical transducer. The ultimate goal of such a conversion scheme would see the realization of coherent, quantum frequency translation between an optical and microwave cavity which shares the same mechanical resonator [12][13][14][15][16]. Different approaches to realize such frequency translation include the use of a silicon nitride membrane vertically stacked within an electronic and optical cavity [17,18], and the creation of piezoelectric nanobeam optomechanical crystals [19].…”

Deep-subwavelength lithography via graphene plasmons

“…Ideally the compliant mirror should merely allow for the conversion between microwave and optical photons so as to avoid unwanted energy losses through mechanical excitations. This suggests exploiting the "polaritonic dark mode"Ĉ = (−G bâ + G ab )/ G 2 a + G 2 b and externally varying G a,b to achieve the adiabatic conversion between the microwave and optical photons free of the mechanical noise [23][24][25][26]. However the realization of a perfect dark mode requires −∆ a = −∆ b = ω m , preventing the extraction of work in the adiabatic conversion.…”

Classical and quantum-linearized descriptions of degenerate optomechanical parametric oscillators

“…Since the mechanical degree of freedom is usually a mesoscopic system formed by many atoms, optomechanics provides a very promising platform where studying the transition from the microscopic quantum world to our natural macroscopic classical one, allowing, for example, to put bounds on collapse models [34][35][36][37]. From a practical point of view, apart from offering a new platform where performing traditional quantum optical tasks such as the generation of squeezed light [38][39][40][41], transparency windows [42][43][44][45][46], or photon blockade effects [47], optomechanical systems might be a perfect interface between optical and microwave technologies, since mechanical degrees of freedom couple to both electromagnetic scales [48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57].…”