Quantum Nonlinear Optics in Optomechanical Nanoscale Waveguides.

Abstract

We show that strong nonlinearities at the few photon level can be achieved in optomechanical nanoscale waveguides. We consider the propagation of photons in cm-scale one-dimensional nanophotonic structures where stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) is strongly enhanced by radiation pressure coupling. We introduce a configuration that allows slowing down photons by several orders of magnitude via SBS from sound waves using two pump fields. Slowly propagating photons can then experience strong nonlinear interactions through virtual off-resonant exchange of dispersionless phonons. As a benchmark we identify requirements for achieving a large cross-phase modulation among two counterpropagating photons applicable for photonic quantum gates. Our results indicate that strongly nonlinear quantum optics is possible in continuum optomechanical systems realized in nanophotonic structures.