Dynamical Multistability Induced by Radiation Pressure in High-Finesse Micromechanical Optical Cavities

Florian Marquardt, J. G. E. Harris, and S. M. Girvin
Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 103901 – Published 16 March 2006

Abstract

We analyze the nonlinear dynamics of a high-finesse optical cavity in which one mirror is mounted on a flexible mechanical element. We find that this system is governed by an array of dynamical attractors, which arise from phase locking between the mechanical oscillations of the mirror and the ringing of the light intensity in the cavity. We develop an analytical theory to map out the diagram of attractors in parameter space, derive the slow amplitude dynamics of the system, including thermal fluctuations, and suggest a scheme for exploiting the dynamical multistability in the measurement of small displacements.

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  • Received 24 February 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.103901

©2006 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Florian Marquardt1,2, J. G. E. Harris2, and S. M. Girvin2

  • 1Physics Department, Center for NanoScience, and Arnold Sommerfeld Center for Theoretical Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 Munich, Germany
  • 2Departments of Physics and Applied Physics, Yale University, P.O. Box 208284, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA

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Issue

Vol. 96, Iss. 10 — 17 March 2006

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