We review the field of cavity optomechanics, which explores the interaction between electromagnetic radiation and nano- or micromechanical motion This review covers the basics of optical cavities and mechanical resonators, their mutual optomechanical interaction mediated by the radiation pressure force, the large variety of experimental systems which exhibit this interaction, optical measurements of mechanical motion, dynamical backaction amplification and cooling, nonlinear dynamics, multimode optomechanics, and proposals for future cavity quantum optomechanics experiments In addition, we describe the perspectives for fundamental quantum physics and for possible applications of optomechanical devices

Cavity Optomechanics

Photonic crystal fibers guide light by corralling it within a periodic array of microscopic air holes that run along the entire fiber length Largely through their ability to overcome the limitations of conventional fiber optics—for example, by permitting low-loss guidance of light in a hollow core—these fibers are proving to have a multitude of important technological and scientific applications spanning many disciplines The result has been a renaissance of interest in optical fibers and their uses

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/299/5605/358.full.pdf

Photonic crystal fibers

A fast-Fourier-transform method of topography and interferometry is proposed. By computer processing of a noncontour type of fringe pattern, automatic discrimination is achieved between elevation and depression of the object or wave-front form, which has not been possible by the fringe-contour-generation techniques. The method has advantages over moire topography and conventional fringe-contour interferometry in both accuracy and sensitivity. Unlike fringe-scanning techniques, the method is easy to apply because it uses no moving components.

Fourier-transform method of fringe-pattern analysis for computer-based topography and interferometry

We review the recent developments in the area of optical fiber grating sensors, including quasi-distributed strain sensing using Bragg gratings, systems based on chirped gratings, intragrating sensing concepts, long period-based grating sensors, fiber grating laser-based systems, and interferometric sensor systems based on grating reflectors.

Fiber grating sensors

A topical review of numerical and experimental studies of supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fiber is presented over the full range of experimentally reported parameters, from the femtosecond to the continuous-wave regime. Results from numerical simulations are used to discuss the temporal and spectral characteristics of the supercontinuum, and to interpret the physics of the underlying spectral broadening processes. Particular attention is given to the case of supercontinuum generation seeded by femtosecond pulses in the anomalous group velocity dispersion regime of photonic crystal fiber, where the processes of soliton fission, stimulated Raman scattering, and dispersive wave generation are reviewed in detail. The corresponding intensity and phase stability properties of the supercontinuum spectra generated under different conditions are also discussed.

Supercontinuum generation in photonic crystal fiber

We report progress on ultrafast nonlinear optics in a liquid-argon-filled hollow-core PCF. This system offers a nonlinearity as high as silica but with negligible Raman effects, making it of interest in quantum optical squeezing.

Nonlinear optics in hollow-core photonic crystal fiber filled with liquid argon

We report a sensitive evanescent field sensor using air-suspended solid-core fibers. Excellent agreement between measured and calculated mode profiles allows us to measure quantitative broadband absorption spectra with sample volumes as low as 1 muL.

Quantitative broadband chemical sensing in air-suspended solid-core fibers

We numerically and experimentally explore spatiotemporal effects during ultrashort pulse propagation in gas-filled kagome-PCF. These include self-focusing, intermodal dispersive-wave emission, and multi-mode transient Raman frequency-comb generation.

Spatiotemporal Nonlinear Dynamics in Gas-Filled Photonic-Crystal Fibers

We propose a platform that combines the fields of cavity optomagnonics and levitated optomechanics in order to control and probe the coupled spin-mechanics of magnetic dielectric particles. We theoretically study the dynamics of a levitated Faraday-active dielectric microsphere serving as an optomagnonic cavity, placed in an external magnetic field and driven by an external laser. We find that the optically driven magnetization dynamics induces angular oscillations of the particle with low associated damping. Further, we show that the magnetization and angular motion dynamics can be probed via the power spectrum of the outgoing light. Namely, the characteristic frequencies attributed to the angular oscillations and the spin dynamics are imprinted in the light spectrum by two main resonance peaks. Additionally, we demonstrate that a ferromagnetic resonance setup with an oscillatory perpendicular magnetic field can enhance the resonance peak corresponding to the spin oscillations and induce fast rotations of the particle around its anisotropy axis.

Optical signatures of the coupled spin-mechanics of a levitated magnetic microparticle

A method of operating a transducer particle (2) in an optical waveguide (10) having a hollow core channel (11), wherein the transducer particle (2) is movably arranged in the core channel (11), comprises the steps of arranging the optical waveguide (10) in an external environment (1) of the optical waveguide (10), moving and/or positioning the transducer particle (2) by optical forces in the core channel (11), measuring a current position of the transducer particle (2) in the optical waveguide (10), and changing a condition of at least one of the transducer particle (2) and the external environment (1) by a mutual physical interaction of the transducer particle (2) and the external environment (1), wherein said condition is changed in dependency on the current position of the transducer particle. The method can be used e. g. for sensing a physical quantity of the external environment (1) and/or illuminating the external environment (1) in dependency on the current position of the transducer particle. Furthermore, an optical waveguide device (100) is described, which includes a movable transducer particle (2).

Philip St. J. Russell

Papers

Nonlinear optics in hollow-core photonic crystal fiber filled with liquid argon

Quantitative broadband chemical sensing in air-suspended solid-core fibers

Spatiotemporal Nonlinear Dynamics in Gas-Filled Photonic-Crystal Fibers

Optical signatures of the coupled spin-mechanics of a levitated magnetic microparticle

Method of operating a flying transducer particle in an optical waveguide, and optical waveguide including a transducer particle