Cavity Optomechanical Bistability with an Ultrahigh Reflectivity Photonic Crystal Membrane

Abstract

Photonic crystal (PhC) membranes patterned with sub-wavelength periods offer a unique combination of high reflectivity, low mass, and high mechanical quality factor. Using a PhC membrane as one mirror of a Fabry–Perot cavity, a finesse as high as (Formula presented.) is demonstrated, corresponding to a record high PhC reflectivity of (Formula presented.) and an optical quality factor of (Formula presented.). The fundamental mechanical frequency is 426 kHz, more than twice the optical linewidth, placing it firmly in the resolved-sideband regime required for ground-state optical cooling. The mechanical quality factor in vacuum is (Formula presented.), allowing values of the single-photon cooperativity as high as (Formula presented.). Optomechanical bistability is easily observed as hysteresis in the cavity transmission. As the input power is raised well beyond the bistability threshold, dynamical backaction induces strong mechanical oscillation above 1 MHz, even in the presence of air damping. This platform will facilitate advances in optomechanics, precision sensing, and applications of optomechanically-induced bistability.