arXiv · 2006.11599
Single-Phonon Addition and Subtraction to a Mechanical Thermal State
Abstract
Adding or subtracting a single quantum of excitation to a thermal state of a bosonic system has the counter-intuitive effect of approximately doubling its mean occupation. We perform the first experimental demonstration of this effect outside optics by implementing single-phonon addition and subtraction to a thermal state of a mechanical oscillator via Brillouin optomechanics in an optical whispering-gallery microresonator. Using a detection scheme that combines single-photon counting and optical heterodyne detection, we observe this doubling of the mechanical thermal fluctuations to a high precision. The capabilities of this joint click-dyne detection scheme adds a significant new dimension for optomechanical quantum science and applications.
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Georg Enzian, John J. Price, Lars Freisem, Joshua Nunn, Jiri Janousek, Ben C. Buchler, Ping Koy Lam, Michael R. Vanner. 2020-06-20. Single-Phonon Addition and Subtraction to a Mechanical Thermal State. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.126.033601
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