Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 011015 |
| Journal | Physical Review X |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 31 Jan 2014 |
Abstract
Optomechanical systems can exhibit self-sustained limit cycles where the quantum state of the mechanical resonator possesses nonclassical characteristics such as a strongly negative Wigner density, as was shown recently in a numerical study by Qian et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 253601 (2012)]. Here, we derive a Fokker-Planck equation describing mechanical limit cycles in the quantum regime that correctly reproduces the numerically observed nonclassical features. The derivation starts from the standard optomechanical master equation and is based on techniques borrowed from the laser theory due to Haake and Lewenstein. We compare our analytical model with numerical solutions of the master equation based on Monte Carlo simulations and find very good agreement over a wide and so far unexplored regime of system parameters. As one main conclusion, we predict negative Wigner functions to be observable even for surprisingly classical parameters, i.e., outside the single-photon strong-coupling regime, for strong cavity drive and rather large limit-cycle amplitudes. The approach taken here provides a natural starting point for further studies of quantum effects in optomechanics.
Keywords
- Nanophysics, Quantum physics
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- General Physics and Astronomy
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In: Physical Review X, Vol. 4, No. 1, 011015, 31.01.2014.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Laser theory for optomechanics
T2 - Limit cycles in the quantum regime
AU - Lörch, Niels
AU - Qian, Jiang
AU - Clerk, Aashish
AU - Marquardt, Florian
AU - Hammerer, Klemens
PY - 2014/1/31
Y1 - 2014/1/31
N2 - Optomechanical systems can exhibit self-sustained limit cycles where the quantum state of the mechanical resonator possesses nonclassical characteristics such as a strongly negative Wigner density, as was shown recently in a numerical study by Qian et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 253601 (2012)]. Here, we derive a Fokker-Planck equation describing mechanical limit cycles in the quantum regime that correctly reproduces the numerically observed nonclassical features. The derivation starts from the standard optomechanical master equation and is based on techniques borrowed from the laser theory due to Haake and Lewenstein. We compare our analytical model with numerical solutions of the master equation based on Monte Carlo simulations and find very good agreement over a wide and so far unexplored regime of system parameters. As one main conclusion, we predict negative Wigner functions to be observable even for surprisingly classical parameters, i.e., outside the single-photon strong-coupling regime, for strong cavity drive and rather large limit-cycle amplitudes. The approach taken here provides a natural starting point for further studies of quantum effects in optomechanics.
AB - Optomechanical systems can exhibit self-sustained limit cycles where the quantum state of the mechanical resonator possesses nonclassical characteristics such as a strongly negative Wigner density, as was shown recently in a numerical study by Qian et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 253601 (2012)]. Here, we derive a Fokker-Planck equation describing mechanical limit cycles in the quantum regime that correctly reproduces the numerically observed nonclassical features. The derivation starts from the standard optomechanical master equation and is based on techniques borrowed from the laser theory due to Haake and Lewenstein. We compare our analytical model with numerical solutions of the master equation based on Monte Carlo simulations and find very good agreement over a wide and so far unexplored regime of system parameters. As one main conclusion, we predict negative Wigner functions to be observable even for surprisingly classical parameters, i.e., outside the single-photon strong-coupling regime, for strong cavity drive and rather large limit-cycle amplitudes. The approach taken here provides a natural starting point for further studies of quantum effects in optomechanics.
KW - Nanophysics
KW - Quantum physics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84900341620&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://journals.aps.org/prx/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevX.4.019902
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevX.4.011015
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevX.4.011015
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84900341620
VL - 4
JO - Physical Review X
JF - Physical Review X
SN - 2160-3308
IS - 1
M1 - 011015
ER -