Abstract
We introduce a passively-aligned, flexure-tuned cavity optomechanical system in which a membrane is positioned microns from one end mirror of a Fabry-Perot optical cavity. By displacing the membrane through gentle flexure of its silicon supporting frame (i.e., to ∼80 m radius of curvature (ROC)), we gain access to the full range of available optomechanical couplings, finding also that the optical spectrum exhibits none of the abrupt discontinuities normally found in "membrane-in-the-middle" (MIM) systems. More aggressive flexure (3 m ROC) enables >15 μm membrane travel, milliradian tilt tuning, and a wavelength-scale (1.64 ± 0.78 μm) membrane-mirror separation. We also provide a complete set of analytical expressions for this system's leading-order dispersive and dissipative optomechanical couplings. Notably, this system can potentially generate orders of magnitude larger linear dissipative or quadratic dispersive strong coupling parameters than is possible with a MIM system. Additionally, it can generate the same purely quadratic dispersive coupling as a MIM system, but with significantly suppressed linear dissipative back-action (and force noise).
Highlights
In the field of optomechanics, radiation forces have provided previously inaccessible control over mechanical objects of all sizes, with systems increasingly often exhibiting quantum properties of motion and light [1]
The existence of purely quadratic dispersive coupling suggests the possibility of quantum nondemolition (QND) readout of the membrane’s phonon number states [2, 25]
We have demonstrated a passively aligned, flexure-tuned membrane-at-the-edge optomechanical system
Summary
In the field of optomechanics, radiation forces have provided previously inaccessible control over mechanical objects of all sizes, with systems increasingly often exhibiting quantum properties of motion and light [1]. By applying pressure at a single point, we tune the membrane’s tilt (relative to the mirror surface) by 0.7 mrad over the full travel range while protecting the membrane from collision with the mirror This monolithic geometry poses significantly fewer technical challenges than alignment with multi-axis stages, and, for small ROC, reduces susceptibility to dust at small separations, as in convex lens induced confinement (CLIC) systems [41]. In addition to the aforementioned advantages, this work paves the way toward flexure-tuned fiber-coupled Fabry-Perot MIM systems and membrane-membrane cavities at the wavelength scale
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