Nonlinear Radiation Pressure Dynamics in an Optomechanical Crystal

Area of Science:

• Optomechanics
• Nanophotonics
• Nonlinear Dynamics

Background:

• Optomechanical crystals enable studying light-matter interactions at the nanoscale.
• Radiation pressure can induce nonlinear mechanical motion in optical cavities.
• Achieving controlled self-oscillation in such systems is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the attractor diagram in a silicon nanobeam optomechanical crystal.
• Explore the nonlinear driving of mechanical motion using optical pumping.
• Demonstrate control over system dynamics to access novel attractors.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a silicon nanobeam optomechanical crystal with a localized optical cavity.
• Employed continuous wave and time-dependent (modulated) optical pumping.
• Analyzed system behavior at cryogenic temperatures (≈10 K).

Main Results:

• Observed highly nonlinear mechanical motion driven by optical pumping.
• Successfully steered the system to a dynamically stable attractor using modulated pumping.
• Achieved mechanical self-oscillation with a red-detuned optical pump.

Conclusions:

• Modulated optical pumping provides a method to control optomechanical system dynamics.
• Accessing previously inaccessible attractors is possible, leading to self-oscillation.
• An analytical model including thermo-optic effects accurately predicts experimental observations.