[Paper Review] Engineered dissipative reservoir for microwave light using circuit optomechanics

L. D. Tóth, Nathan Bernier+4 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Feb 16, 2016

Mechanical and Optical Resonators3 citations

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a reverse dissipation regime in a microwave circuit optomechanical system, where a mechanical oscillator acts as a cold, engineered dissipative reservoir for microwave photons. By controlling mechanical damping, the authors achieve real-time amplification and de-amplification of microwave fields, observe parametric instability (masing), and implement a low-noise, phase-preserving amplifier, enabling new pathways for quantum microwave manipulation and entanglement.

ABSTRACT

Isolation of a system from its environment is often desirable; however, dissipation can also be a useful resource. Remarkably, engineered dissipation enables the preparation and stabilization of quantum states of atoms, ions or superconducting qubits. This is achieved by a suitably engineered coupling to a dissipative cold reservoir formed by electromagnetic modes. Similarly, in the field of cavity electro- and optomechanics the control over mechanical oscillators utilizes the inherently cold dissipative nature of the electromagnetic degree of freedom. Breaking from this paradigm, recent theoretical work has considered the opposite regime in which the dissipation of the mechanical oscillator dominates and provides a cold dissipative reservoir to the electromagnetic mode. Here we report the experimental realization of this reversed dissipation regime in a microwave cavity optomechanical system and realize a quasi-instantaneous, cold reservoir for microwave light. We evidence this regime by decreasing or increasing the damping rate of the cavity on demand, that corresponds to amplification and de-amplification of the microwave field. Additionally, we observe the onset of parametric instability, i.e. the stimulated emission of microwaves (masing). Moreover, we employ the engineered cold reservoir to implement a low-noise, large-gain phase-preserving amplifier. Beyond offering the manipulation of microwave fields, such a dissipative reservoir for microwave light, when coupled to multiple cavity modes, forms the basis of microwave entanglement schemes, electromechanical amplifiers with unlimited gain-bandwidth product and dissipative quantum phase transitions. Equally important, combining such reservoir-mediated interaction with coherent dynamics allows for the realization of non-reciprocal devices, which would extend the available toolbox of quantum-limited microwave manipulation techniques.

Motivation & Objective

• To realize a reversed dissipation regime where mechanical damping dominates and serves as a cold reservoir for microwave photons.
• To demonstrate dynamic control over microwave field damping rates via mechanical oscillator coupling.
• To implement a low-noise, large-gain, phase-preserving amplifier using the engineered reservoir.
• To explore the potential of such a reservoir for generating microwave entanglement and enabling non-reciprocal devices.

Proposed method

• Utilizing a microwave cavity optomechanical system with strong coupling between a superconducting microwave cavity and a mechanical oscillator.
• Engineering the mechanical oscillator's damping rate to act as a tunable, cold reservoir for the electromagnetic mode.
• Applying time-dependent control of mechanical dissipation to induce amplification or de-amplification of the microwave field.
• Observing parametric instability (masing) through the stimulated emission of microwaves when the reservoir is tuned into resonance.
• Implementing a phase-preserving amplifier by leveraging the reservoir-mediated interaction with minimal added noise.
• Extending the framework to multi-mode systems to enable potential applications in entanglement and quantum-limited devices.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 Can mechanical dissipation be engineered to serve as a cold reservoir for microwave photons in a circuit optomechanical system?
• RQ2 How does dynamic control of mechanical damping affect the amplification and de-amplification of microwave fields?
• RQ3 What role does the engineered reservoir play in enabling parametric instability (masing) in microwave systems?
• RQ4 Can the reservoir-mediated interaction be used to construct a low-noise, high-gain phase-preserving amplifier?
• RQ5 What are the implications of such a reservoir for dissipative quantum phase transitions and non-reciprocal microwave devices?

Key findings

• The experiment realizes a reversed dissipation regime where the mechanical oscillator acts as a cold, engineered reservoir for microwave photons.
• The damping rate of the microwave cavity is controllably increased or decreased on demand, enabling amplification and de-amplification of the microwave field.
• Parametric instability—manifested as stimulated microwave emission (masing)—is experimentally observed when the reservoir is resonantly coupled.
• A low-noise, large-gain phase-preserving amplifier is successfully implemented using the reservoir-mediated interaction.
• The engineered reservoir enables the potential for generating microwave entanglement and achieving non-reciprocal microwave devices.
• The system demonstrates a foundation for dissipative quantum phase transitions and electromechanical amplifiers with unlimited gain-bandwidth product.