Abstract

Optomechanics is one of the most promising testbeds for studying how quantum mechanical features emerge as an initially classical object is transitioned to low population numbers. At the heart of optomechanics are optical forces, a peculiar type of light-matter interaction, which allow trapping of dielectric particles in strongly focused laser fields by virtue of the gradient force, which pulls the particle towards the region of highest field intensity. To first order, the trapping potential around the trap center can be assumed to be quadratic and, accordingly, the center-of-mass motion of a trapped particle can be modelled as three uncoupled harmonic oscillators. One of the prime goals of levitated optomechanics is to bring an optically levitated particle to the quantum ground state of motion by cooling the center-of-mass motion and to perform coherent control protocols involving the particle’s different degrees of freedom.

© 2017 IEEE