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Introduction
Vol. 14, No. 11 /1 Nov 2024 /
Optical Materials Express
2755
Optomechanical Photonics: feature issue
introduction
K
EJIE
F
ANG
,
1
X
IANKAI
S
UN
,
2
A
VINOAM
Z
ADOK
,
3
AND
M
OHAMMAD
M
IRHOSSEINI
4,5
1
Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory and Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
2
Department of Electronic Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories,
Hong Kong SAR, China
3
Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Technion, Haifa 3200003, Israel
4
The Gordon and Betty Moore Laboratory of Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena,
CA, USA
5
Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract:
We introduce the Optical Materials Express feature issue on Optomechanical Pho-
tonics. This issue comprises a collection of eight research articles on optomechanical photonics,
including studies of new fundamental phenomena, device applications, experimental characteri-
zations, and theoretical models.
© 2024 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement
Optomechanics is a vibrant research field that investigates the interaction between light and
mechanical motion across various scales. By combining principles from optics and mechanics,
optomechanics has emerged as a prominent area of study with tremendous potential for driving
new technologies and scientific breakthroughs [1]. A key application of optomechanics lies in its
ability to enhance photonics systems, leading to novel functionalities, enhanced performance, and
expanded capabilities. An important aspect of this study involves the selection, characterization,
and engineering of materials for constructing optomechanical photonic devices and systems.
This feature issue aims to showcase recent advancements and provide insights into the future
prospects of the field of optomechanics and its intersection with photonics, including information
transduction, optical sensing, and hybrid quantum systems. Yang et al. proposed a novel scheme
for efficient and low-noise microwave-to- optical quantum transduction based on cavity-enhanced
Brillouin interaction between telecom photons and 10 gigahertz phonons on a lithium niobate-
on-sapphire chip [2]. To mitigate lateral acoustic mode leakage common in optomechanical
waveguides, Gonzalez-Andrade et al. proposed new waveguide designs based on subwavelength
nanostructuration to tailor near-infrared photons and GHz phonons and maximize the Brillouin
gain [3]. Ye et al. reported the Brillouin nonlinearity characterization of a SiON platform with a
specific O/N ratio, under- scoring the potential of SiON for on-chip Brillouin-based applications
and paving the way for Brillouin nonlinearity characterization across various material platforms
[4]. Chi et al. showed that a neural network can be trained through exposure to an extended
envelope of instrumental/ambient noise conditions to robustly quantify picometric displacements
of a target against orders-of- magnitude larger background fluctuations [5]. Scheuer et al. used
an optomechanical sensor to record the vibrational spectrum of its own fused silica substrate,
which could inform efforts to increase the quality factor of mechanical resonators, and the use of
substrate phonon modes as information channels [6]. Achieving scalability of optomechanical
systems requires the coupling of multiple optical cavities and mechanical oscillators. Tian
et al. designed the first two-dimensional slab photonic crystal configuration featuring distant
cavities coupled via a high-frequency (up to gigahertz) mechanical oscillator [7]. Lodde et
al. demonstrated the coupling of a semiconductor quantum dot to an optomechanical cavity,
#546065
https://doi.org/10.1364/OME.546065
Journal © 2024
Received 23 Oct 2024; published 29 Oct 2024
Introduction
Vol. 14, No. 11 /1 Nov 2024 /
Optical Materials Express
2756
mediated by the strain of a nano-mechanical mode, rep- resenting an important step towards
the use of phonons to couple different on-chip quantum systems [8]. Finally, Abutalebi et al.
proposed an integrated structure for single-photon generation at room temperature based on a
molecular optomechanics system in a hybrid photonic-plasmonic cavity, which could serve as an
integrated single-photon source for quantum networks at room temperature [9].
We are grateful to all the authors, reviewers, OMEX and OPTICA staff members for their
contributions and efforts to make this issue possible.
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