Optics

Physics

Coupling (piping)

Photon

Open quantum system

Metallurgy

Materials science

Photonics

Sideband

Optomechanics

Microwave

Optoelectronics

Quantum mechanics

Cavity quantum electrodynamics

Photonic crystal

Quantum

Resonator

Dissipative system

Physical Review Research

We propose a versatile, free-space cavity optomechanics platform built from two photonic crystal membranes, one of which is freely suspended, and designed to form a microcavity less than one wavelength long. This cavity features a series of photonic bound states in the continuum that, in principle, trap light forever and can be favorably used together with evanescent coupling for realizing various types of optomechanical couplings, such as linear or quadratic coupling of either dispersive or dissipative type, by tuning the photonic crystal patterning and cavity length. Crucially, this platform allows for a quantum cooperativity exceeding unity in the ultrastrong single-photon coupling regime, surpassing the performance of conventional Fabry-Pérot–based cavity optomechanical devices in the nonresolved sideband regime. This platform allows for exploring new regimes of the optomechanical interaction, in particular in the framework of pulsed and single-photon optomechanics.4 MoreReceived 13 July 2020Accepted 14 January 2021DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.013131Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.Published by the American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasNanophotonicsNear-field opticsOptomechanicsAtomic, Molecular & Optical

Cavity optomechanics with photonic bound states in the continuum