title: Analysis of radiation-pressure induced mechanical oscillation of an optical microcavity.
abstract: The theoretical work of Braginsky predicted that radiation pressure can couple the mechanical, mirror eigenmodes of a Fabry-Pérot resonator to its optical modes, leading to a parametric oscillation instability. This regime is characterized by regenerative mechanical oscillation of the mechanical mirror eigenmodes. We have recently observed the excitation of mechanical modes in an ultrahigh Q optical microcavity. Here, we present a detailed experimental analysis of this effect and demonstrate that radiation pressure is the excitation mechanism of the observed mechanical oscillations.
authors.affiliation: Thomas J. Watson Laboratory of Applied Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kippenberg
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rokhsari
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carmon
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scherer
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Vahala