Laser optomechanics.
Cavity optomechanics explores the interaction between optical field and mechanical motion. So far, this interaction has relied on the detuning between a passive optical resonator and an external pump laser. Here, we report a new scheme with mutual coupling between a mechanical oscillator supporting the mirror of a laser and the optical field generated by the laser itself. The optically active cavity greatly enhances the light-matter energy transfer. In this work, we use an electrically-pumped vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) with an ultra-light-weight (130 pg) high-contrast-grating (HCG) mirror, whose reflectivity spectrum is designed to facilitate strong optomechanical coupling, to demonstrate optomechanically-induced regenerative oscillation of the laser optomechanical cavity. We observe >550 nm self-oscillation amplitude of the micromechanical oscillator, two to three orders of magnitude larger than typical, and correspondingly a 23 nm laser wavelength sweep. In addition to its immediate applications as a high-speed wavelength-swept source, this scheme also offers a new approach for integrated on-chip sensors.
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Weijian
W
Yang
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Stephen Adair
SA
Gerke
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Kar Wei
KW
Ng
Bandwidth10, Inc., San Jose, CA 95132, USA.
Yi
Y
Rao
Bandwidth10, Inc., San Jose, CA 95132, USA.
Christopher
C
Chase
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Connie J
CJ
Chang-Hasnain