Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Nat Commun. 2013;4:1994. doi: 10.1038/ncomms2994.
Cavity optomechanics allows the parametric coupling of phonon- and photon-modes in microresonators and is presently investigated in a broad variety of solid-state systems. Optomechanics with superfluids has been proposed as a path towards ultra-low optical- and mechanical-dissipation. However, there have been no optomechanics experiments reported with non-solid phases of matter. Direct liquid immersion of optomechanics experiments is challenging, as the acoustic energy simply leaks out to the higher-impedance liquid surrounding the device. Here we confine liquids within hollow resonators to circumvent this issue and to enable optical excitation of mechanical whispering-gallery modes at frequencies ranging from 2 to 11,000 MHz. Our device enables optomechanical investigation with liquids, while light is conventionally coupled from the outer dry side of the capillary, and liquids are provided by means of a standard microfluidic inlet.
腔光机械学允许在微谐振器中对声子模式和光子模式进行参数耦合，目前正在各种固态系统中进行研究。有人提出，超流中的光机械学是实现超低光学和机械耗散的一种途径。然而，还没有报道过与非固态物质的光机械学实验。直接将光机械学实验浸入液体中是具有挑战性的，因为声能会简单地泄漏到设备周围高阻抗的液体中。在这里，我们将液体限制在中空谐振器内，以解决这个问题，并能够在 2 至 11000MHz 的频率范围内对机械声子回旋模式进行光学激发。我们的设备能够在液体中进行光机械学研究，同时光通常从毛细管的外部干燥侧耦合，液体则通过标准微流入口提供。
