EAGER:Coupled Optomechanical Resonators and Arrays

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Objective: The objective of this program is to design, fabricate, and characterize a new class of coupled optomechanical resonators and arrays. The photon-phonon interaction in chip-scale optomechanical cavities has been the subject of recent research as they can be used to create integrated hybrid optical/mechanical/quantum information processing systems. This project will investigate coupled optomechanical resonators and arrays with complex composite resonance functions. Intellectual merit: The intellectual merit is to use the coupled optical resonance to coherently control and enhance optomechanical interactions in a chip-scale platform. In the strong coupling regime of the coupled optomechanical resonator system, the split optical resonances will be matched to the optical driving field and one of its motion sidebands, to enhance optomechanical interactions. In the weak coupling regime, opposite optical forces induced by the phase shift in separate resonators will be used to simultaneously cool one mechanical resonator and heat the other to obtain optically-controlled mechanical energy transfers. Broader impacts: The broader impacts are to create signal processing and sensing platforms by using the versatile information processing capability and extremely high displacement sensitivity provided by coupled optomechanical resonators and arrays. This program will fund a full time graduate student and engage undergraduate students in focused sub-projects related to the proposed research through building Creative Inquiry teams and providing REU research opportunities. An extensive outreach effort is proposed, including a summer internship program for both undergraduate and high school students and a science workshop for high school teachers.