Applied Physics Seminar

By confining light to sub-wavelength volumes, nanophotonic devices enhance light matter interactions and enable a wide range of fundamental and applied studies. Nanophotonic optomechanics experiments probe optical coupling between nanomechanical resonators and photons. Using nanophotonic devices such as microdisk and photonic crystal nanocavities, it is possible to routinely measure thermal motion of nanoscale mechanical resonances. By harnessing the strong photon-phonon interactions within these structures, it is possible to optically manipulate – e.g., heat or cool – nanomechanical resonances.

This talk will focus on recent progress in developing nanophotonic optomechanical devices for sensing and quantum optics applications. We have developed a silicon split-beam photonic crystal nanocavity with record torque sensitivity, gallium phosphide microdisks which support phonon-photon cooperativity exceeding unity, and single crystal diamond nanomechanical resonators whose thermal motion can drive self-oscillations in the presence of an optical field. This talk will discuss prospects for using these devices for sensing and quantum optics applications.