Measuring High-Order Phonon Correlations in an Optomechanical Resonator

We use single photon detectors to probe the motional state of a superfluid He-4 resonator of mass similar to 1 ng. The arrival times of Stokes and anti-Stokes photons (scattered by the resonator's acoustic mode) are used to measure the resonator's phonon coherences up to the fourth order. By postselecting on photon detection events, we also measure coherences in the resonator when <= 3 phonons have been added or subtracted. These measurements are found to be consistent with predictions that assume the acoustic mode to be in thermal equilibrium with a bath through a Markovian coupling.

Automated summary

In this study, single photon detectors are used to investigate the motional state of a superfluid He-4 resonator with a mass of about 1 ng. The arrival times of Stokes and anti-Stokes photons, scattered by the acoustic mode of the resonator, are utilized to measure the resonator's phonon coherences up to the fourth order. By selecting specific photon detection events, the coherences in the resonator are also measured when <= 3 phonons are added or subtracted. These measurements are consistent with the predictions assuming a Markovian coupling between the acoustic mode and a thermal bath.