Cooling in the single-photon strong-coupling regime of cavity optomechanics

A. Nunnenkamp, K. Borkje, S. M. Girvin

Published 2012-02-15, updated 2012-04-27Version 2

In this paper we discuss how red-sideband cooling is modified in the single-photon strong-coupling regime of cavity optomechanics where the radiation pressure of a single photon displaces the mechanical oscillator by more than its zero-point uncertainty. Using Fermi's Golden rule we calculate the transition rates induced by the optical drive without linearizing the optomechanical interaction. In the resolved-sideband limit we find multiple-phonon cooling resonances for strong single-photon coupling that lead to non-thermal steady states including the possibility of phonon anti-bunching. Our study generalizes the standard linear cooling theory.