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Mode competition and anomalous cooling in a multimode phonon laser
Utku Kemiktarak1, Mathieu Durand2, Michael Metcalfe1
1Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA and National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|August 2, 2014
Summary
In a phonon laser, strong oscillation in one mode suppresses others, leading to single-mode operation. This competition can even cause "anomalous cooling" in other mechanical modes.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Photonics
- Quantum Optics
- Cavity Optomechanics
Background:
- Phonon lasers utilize optical cavities and radiation pressure to generate mechanical oscillations.
- Multimode operation in such systems can lead to complex interactions and mode competition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate mode competition dynamics in a multimode phonon laser.
- To theoretically and experimentally analyze the suppression of mechanical modes by strong oscillation in a single mode.
- To explore the phenomenon of
Main Methods:
- Theoretical calculation of gain for coupled mechanical modes.
- Experimental setup involving an optical cavity with a highly reflective membrane output coupler.
- Analysis of intracavity radiation pressure effects on mechanical modes.
Main Results:
- Strong oscillation in one mode significantly suppresses gain in other coupled modes.
- Observed phenomenon of "anomalous cooling" where other modes experience damping.
- Demonstration of single-mode operation driven by mode competition.
Conclusions:
- Mode competition is a critical factor governing operation in multimode phonon lasers.
- Anomalous cooling is a direct consequence of intermodal gain suppression.
- The study validates theoretical predictions with experimental observations, including anomalous cooling.
