Pulsed excitation dynamics of an optomechanical crystal resonator near its quantum ground-state of motion

Using pulsed optical excitation and read-out along with single phonon counting techniques, we measure the transient back-action, heating, and damping dynamics of a nanoscale silicon optomechanical crystal cavity mounted in a dilution refrigerator at a base temperature of 11mK. In addition to observing a slow (~740ns) turn-on time for the optical-absorption-induced hot phonon bath, we measure for the 5.6GHz `breathing' acoustic mode of the cavity an initial phonon occupancy as low as 0.021 +- 0.007 (mode temperature = 70mK) and an intrinsic mechanical decay rate of 328 +- 14 Hz (mechanical Q-factor = 1.7x10^7). These measurements demonstrate the feasibility of using short pulsed measurements for a variety of quantum optomechanical applications despite the presence of steady-state optical heating.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Waveguide-Coupled Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors

We have demonstrated WSi-based superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors coupled to SiN_x waveguides with integrated ring resonators. This photonics platform enables the implementation of robust and efficient photon-counting detectors with fine spectral resolution near 1550 nm

Diamond optomechanical crystals in the resolved-sideband regime

We demonstrate diamond optomechanical crystals (OMCs), which support a similar to 6 GHz mechanical cavity coupled to a co-resonant similar to 200 THz photon field. Diamond OMCs are optically driven to a cooperativity >1, highlighted by observed 'phonon lasing'

Diamond optomechanical crystals in the resolved-sideband regime

We demonstrate diamond optomechanical crystals (OMCs), which support a similar to 6 GHz mechanical cavity coupled to a co-resonant similar to 200 THz photon field. Diamond OMCs are optically driven to a cooperativity >1, highlighted by observed 'phonon lasing'