Enhanced Cavity Optomechanics with Quantum-Well Exciton Polaritons

Semiconductor microresonators embedding quantum wells can host tightly confined and mutually interacting excitonic, optical, and mechanical modes at once. We theoretically investigate the case where the system operates in the strong exciton-photon coupling regime, while the optical and excitonic resonances are parametrically modulated by the interaction with a mechanical mode. Owing to the large exciton-phonon coupling at play in semiconductors, we predict an enhancement of polariton-phonon interactions by 2 orders of magnitude with respect to mere optomechanical coupling: a near-unity single-polariton quantum cooperativity is within reach for current semiconductor resonator platforms. We further analyze how polariton nonlinearities affect dynamical backaction, modifying the capability to cool or amplify the mechanical motion.

Automated summary

By embedding quantum wells into semiconductor microresonators, tightly confined and mutually interacting excitonic, optical, and mechanical modes can coexist. In this study, we investigate the parametric modulation of optical and excitonic resonances by the interaction with a mechanical mode in the strong exciton-photon coupling regime. We find that the exciton-phonon coupling in semiconductors leads to a significant enhancement of polariton-phonon interactions, making it possible to achieve near-unity single-polariton quantum cooperativity on current semiconductor resonator platforms. We also analyze how polariton nonlinearities affect dynamical backaction, altering the ability to cool or amplify the mechanical motion.