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Optomechanical Coupling in a Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal Defect Cavity
Last modified: 2012-01-03
Abstract
Periodically structured materials can sustain both optical and mechanical modes. Here
we investigate and observe experimentally the optomechanical properties of a conventional twodimensional
suspended photonic crystal defect cavity of diffraction-limited volume. Two families
of mechanical modes are observed. At low frequency (below 200 MHz), drum modes of the whole
membrane are observed, while at high frequency (around 1 GHz), the resonator exhibits modes
localized within the defect cavity, corresponding to a deformation of the core of the defect cavity
surrounded by holes. Due to the strong confinement and colocalization of photons and phonons in
these high-frequency localized modes, the coupling between light and these mechanical modes
exceed 80 kHz, demonstrating high coupling of optical and mechanical modes in such structures.
we investigate and observe experimentally the optomechanical properties of a conventional twodimensional
suspended photonic crystal defect cavity of diffraction-limited volume. Two families
of mechanical modes are observed. At low frequency (below 200 MHz), drum modes of the whole
membrane are observed, while at high frequency (around 1 GHz), the resonator exhibits modes
localized within the defect cavity, corresponding to a deformation of the core of the defect cavity
surrounded by holes. Due to the strong confinement and colocalization of photons and phonons in
these high-frequency localized modes, the coupling between light and these mechanical modes
exceed 80 kHz, demonstrating high coupling of optical and mechanical modes in such structures.
Keywords
photonic crystals, optomechanics