Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1312.4303 · Physical Review Letters

Heralded Single-Phonon Preparation, Storage, and Readout in Cavity Optomechanics

Christophe Galland, Nicolas Sangouard, Nicolás Piro, Nicolas Gisin, Tobias Jan Kippenberg

Published Apr 9, 2014• 138 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We show how to use the radiation pressure optomechanical coupling between a mechanical oscillator and an optical cavity field to generate in a heralded way a single quantum of mechanical motion (a Fock state). Starting with the oscillator close to its ground state, a laser pumping the upper motional sideband produces correlated photon-phonon pairs via optomechanical parametric down-conversion. Subsequent detection of a single scattered Stokes photon projects the macroscopic oscillator into a single-phonon Fock state. The nonclassical nature of this mechanical state can be demonstrated by applying a readout laser on the lower sideband to map the phononic state to a photonic mode and performing an autocorrelation measurement. Our approach proves the relevance of cavity optomechanics as an enabling quantum technology.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.112.143602

Related papers

Multiphonon Fock state heralding with single-photon detection

Andrew Shepherd, Ryan O. Behunin

Recognized as a potential resource for quantum technologies and a possible test bed for fundamental physics, the control and preparation of nonclassical states of mechanical oscillators have been explored extensively. Within optomechanics, quantum state synthesis can be realized by entangling photonic and phononic degrees of freedom followed by optical detection. Single-photon detection enables one of the most powerful forms of such heralded quantum state preparation, permitting the creation of single-phonon states when applied to conventional cavity optomechanical systems. As the complexity of optomechanical systems increases, single-photon detection may provide heralded access to a larger class of exotic quantum states. Here, we examine the quantum dynamics of optomechanical systems that permit forward Brillouin scattering, where a single-phonon mode mediates transitions between a collection of equally spaced optical resonances. Solving both the Schrodinger equation and the Lindblad master equation for this system, we find that initial states comprised of single photons or weak laser pulses evolve into complex quantum states where the frequency of single-photon states and the phonon occupation number are entangled. Physically, these interactions permit a single photon to scatter to lower frequencies, where phonon excitation occurs for each scattering event. Combining this result with frequency filtering, we show how single-photon detection can herald selected multiphonon Fock states, even in the presence of optical losses. We also present an approach for quantum tomography of the heralded phonon states, which in the form of a state swap from the phononic to photonic domain enables on-demand generation of multiphoton Fock states.

arXiv:2407.19120•Physical Review Research•Sep 23, 2025•2 citations

Optomechanical generation of a mechanical catlike state by phonon subtraction

Itay Shomroni, Liu Qiu, Tobias Jan Kippenberg

We propose a scheme to prepare a macroscopic mechanical oscillator in a catlike state, close to a coherent state superposition. The mechanical oscillator, coupled by radiation-pressure interaction to a field in an optical cavity, is first prepared close to a squeezed vacuum state using a reservoir engineering technique. The system is then probed using a short optical pulse tuned to the lower motional sideband of the cavity resonance, realizing a photon-phonon swap interaction. A photon number measurement of the photons emerging from the cavity then conditions a phonon-subtracted catlike state with a negative Wigner distribution exhibiting separated peaks and multiple interference fringes. We show that this scheme is feasible using state-of-the-art photonic crystal optomechanical system.

arXiv:1909.10624•Physical Review A•Mar 11, 2020•31 citations

Proposal for observing nonclassicality in highly excited mechanical oscillators by single photon detection

Kai Ryen Bush, Kjetil Børkje

The preparation of pure quantum states with high degrees of macroscopicity is a central goal of ongoing experimental efforts to control quantum systems. We present a state preparation protocol which renders a mechanical oscillator with an arbitrarily large coherent amplitude in a manifestly nonclassical state. The protocol relies on coherent-state preparation followed by a projective measurement of a single Raman scattered photon, making it particularly suitable for cavity optomechanics. The nonclassicality of the state is reflected by sub-Poissonian phonon statistics, which can be accessed by measuring the statistics of subsequently emitted Raman sideband photons. The proposed protocol would facilitate the observation of nonclassicality of a mechanical oscillator that moves macroscopically relative to motion at the single-phonon level.

arXiv:2311.03060•Physical Review A•Apr 3, 2024•4 citations

Generation and detection of non-Gaussian phonon-added coherent states in optomechanical systems

Jie Li, Simon Gröblacher, Shi‐Yao Zhu +1 more

Adding excitations on a coherent state provides an effective way to observe the nonclassical properties of radiation fields. Here, we describe and analyze how to apply this concept to the motional state of a mechanical oscillator and present a full scheme to prepare non-Gaussian phonon-added coherent states of the mechanical motion in cavity optomechanics. We first generate a mechanical coherent state using electromagnetically induced transparency. We then add a single phonon onto the coherent state via optomechanical parametric down-conversion combined with single-photon detection. We validate this single-phonon-added coherent state by using a red-detuned beam and reading out the state of the optical output field. This approach allows us to verify nonclassical properties of the phonon state, such as sub-Poissonian character and quadrature squeezing. We further show that our scheme can be directly implemented using existing devices, and is generic in nature and hence applicable to a variety of systems in opto- and electromechanics.

arXiv:1803.06767•Physical Review A•Jul 2, 2018•57 citations

Single Phonon State of Mechanical Mode via Photon Subtraction

M. Miskeen Khan, Muhammad Javed Akram, Farhan Saif

We prepare single phonon Fock state of mechanical mode in optomechanical system based on photon subtraction process in the linear regime of optomechanical interaction. The correlation set between cavity and field modes is utilized to recast the state of a pre-cooled mechanical mode into a single phonon Fock state as the field mode is subjected to a photon subtraction type measurement at a dynamical instant of interaction time. The resultant conditional state of mechanical mode quantified by its Wigner function, exhibits an excellent compatibility with the standard single quantum Fock state. We confirm the nature of obtained state by calculating the phonon statistics, and conditional fidelity which approaches to unity for an instantaneous measurement time within an appropriate choice of parametric regime. Moreover, we also study the effects of temperature parameter for the preparation of target state. The present scheme can be realized to engineer the single quantum Fock state of macroscopic mechanical mode with currently available technology.

arXiv:1511.07617•Nov 24, 2015•0 citations

Inducing a Single Vibration

Ian S. Osborne

Applied Physics Optomechanical systems typically consist of a mechanical oscillator or cantilever that can be driven by the optical radiation pressure of light. The light can either amplify the motion of the cantilever or be used to reduce the amount of vibration and effectively cool it. Recent work has demonstrated cooling to the extent that the number of vibrations, or phonons, in an oscillator can be quantized, even reaching the quantum-mechanical ground. Galland et al. introduce a method to introduce a single phonon into their mechanical oscillator. Starting off in the quantum-mechanical ground, they pump the system with a laser pulse that generates an entangled phonon-photon pair. Detection of the photon then heralds that a single-phonon state has been induced into the oscillator. The ability to deterministically control the number of vibrational quanta in such an optomechanical system has important implications for the likes of quantum information processing and quantum enhanced sensing applications. Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 , 143602 (2014).

Science•May 1, 2014•0 citations
We show how to use the radiation pressure optomechanical coupling between a mechanical oscillator and an optical cavity field to generate in a heralded way a single quantum of mechanical motion (a Fock state). Starting with the oscillator close to its ground state, a laser pumping the upper motional sideband produces correlated photon-phonon pairs via optomechanical parametric down-conversion. Subsequent detection of a single scattered Stokes photon projects the macroscopic oscillator into a single-phonon Fock state. The nonclassical nature of this mechanical state can be demonstrated by applying a readout laser on the lower sideband to map the phononic state to a photonic mode and performing an autocorrelation measurement. Our approach proves the relevance of cavity optomechanics as an enabling quantum technology.
Recognized as a potential resource for quantum technologies and a possible test bed for fundamental physics, the control and preparation of nonclassical states of mechanical oscillators have been explored extensively. Within optomechanics, quantum state synthesis can be realized by entangling photonic and phononic degrees of freedom followed by optical detection. Single-photon detection enables one of the most powerful forms of such heralded quantum state preparation, permitting the creation of single-phonon states when applied to conventional cavity optomechanical systems. As the complexity of optomechanical systems increases, single-photon detection may provide heralded access to a larger class of exotic quantum states. Here, we examine the quantum dynamics of optomechanical systems that permit forward Brillouin scattering, where a single-phonon mode mediates transitions between a collection of equally spaced optical resonances. Solving both the Schrodinger equation and the Lindblad master equation for this system, we find that initial states comprised of single photons or weak laser pulses evolve into complex quantum states where the frequency of single-photon states and the phonon occupation number are entangled. Physically, these interactions permit a single photon to scatter to lower frequencies, where phonon excitation occurs for each scattering event. Combining this result with frequency filtering, we show how single-photon detection can herald selected multiphonon Fock states, even in the presence of optical losses. We also present an approach for quantum tomography of the heralded phonon states, which in the form of a state swap from the phononic to photonic domain enables on-demand generation of multiphoton Fock states.
We propose a scheme to prepare a macroscopic mechanical oscillator in a catlike state, close to a coherent state superposition. The mechanical oscillator, coupled by radiation-pressure interaction to a field in an optical cavity, is first prepared close to a squeezed vacuum state using a reservoir engineering technique. The system is then probed using a short optical pulse tuned to the lower motional sideband of the cavity resonance, realizing a photon-phonon swap interaction. A photon number measurement of the photons emerging from the cavity then conditions a phonon-subtracted catlike state with a negative Wigner distribution exhibiting separated peaks and multiple interference fringes. We show that this scheme is feasible using state-of-the-art photonic crystal optomechanical system.
The preparation of pure quantum states with high degrees of macroscopicity is a central goal of ongoing experimental efforts to control quantum systems. We present a state preparation protocol which renders a mechanical oscillator with an arbitrarily large coherent amplitude in a manifestly nonclassical state. The protocol relies on coherent-state preparation followed by a projective measurement of a single Raman scattered photon, making it particularly suitable for cavity optomechanics. The nonclassicality of the state is reflected by sub-Poissonian phonon statistics, which can be accessed by measuring the statistics of subsequently emitted Raman sideband photons. The proposed protocol would facilitate the observation of nonclassicality of a mechanical oscillator that moves macroscopically relative to motion at the single-phonon level.
Adding excitations on a coherent state provides an effective way to observe the nonclassical properties of radiation fields. Here, we describe and analyze how to apply this concept to the motional state of a mechanical oscillator and present a full scheme to prepare non-Gaussian phonon-added coherent states of the mechanical motion in cavity optomechanics. We first generate a mechanical coherent state using electromagnetically induced transparency. We then add a single phonon onto the coherent state via optomechanical parametric down-conversion combined with single-photon detection. We validate this single-phonon-added coherent state by using a red-detuned beam and reading out the state of the optical output field. This approach allows us to verify nonclassical properties of the phonon state, such as sub-Poissonian character and quadrature squeezing. We further show that our scheme can be directly implemented using existing devices, and is generic in nature and hence applicable to a variety of systems in opto- and electromechanics.
We prepare single phonon Fock state of mechanical mode in optomechanical system based on photon subtraction process in the linear regime of optomechanical interaction. The correlation set between cavity and field modes is utilized to recast the state of a pre-cooled mechanical mode into a single phonon Fock state as the field mode is subjected to a photon subtraction type measurement at a dynamical instant of interaction time. The resultant conditional state of mechanical mode quantified by its Wigner function, exhibits an excellent compatibility with the standard single quantum Fock state. We confirm the nature of obtained state by calculating the phonon statistics, and conditional fidelity which approaches to unity for an instantaneous measurement time within an appropriate choice of parametric regime. Moreover, we also study the effects of temperature parameter for the preparation of target state. The present scheme can be realized to engineer the single quantum Fock state of macroscopic mechanical mode with currently available technology.
Applied Physics Optomechanical systems typically consist of a mechanical oscillator or cantilever that can be driven by the optical radiation pressure of light. The light can either amplify the motion of the cantilever or be used to reduce the amount of vibration and effectively cool it. Recent work has demonstrated cooling to the extent that the number of vibrations, or phonons, in an oscillator can be quantized, even reaching the quantum-mechanical ground. Galland et al. introduce a method to introduce a single phonon into their mechanical oscillator. Starting off in the quantum-mechanical ground, they pump the system with a laser pulse that generates an entangled phonon-photon pair. Detection of the photon then heralds that a single-phonon state has been induced into the oscillator. The ability to deterministically control the number of vibrational quanta in such an optomechanical system has important implications for the likes of quantum information processing and quantum enhanced sensing applications. Phys. Rev. Lett. 112 , 143602 (2014).