title: Heralded preparation and readout of entangled phonons in a photonic crystal cavity.
abstract: We propose a realistic protocol for the preparation and readout of mechanical Bell states in an optomechanical system. The proposal relies on parameters characterizing a photonic crystal cavity mode, coupled to two localized flexural modes of the structure, but equally applies to other optomechanical systems in the same parameter range. The nonclassical states are heralded via optical postselection and revealed in specific interference patterns characterizing the emission at the cavity frequency.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Flayac
authors.affiliation: Institute of Theoretical Physics, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne EPFL, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Savona