Coupling a small torsional oscillator to large optical angular momentum

Abstract

We propose a new configuration for realizing torsional optomechanics: an optically trapped windmill-shaped dielectric interacting with Laguerre–Gaussian cavity modes containing both angular and radial nodes. In contrast to existing schemes, our method can couple mechanical oscillators smaller than the optical beam waist to the in-principle unlimited orbital angular momentum that can be carried by a single photon, and thus generate substantial optomechanical interactions. Combining the advantages of small mass, large coupling, and low clamping losses, our work conceptually opens the way for the observation of quantum effects in torsional optomechanics.

Keywords:

• optomechanics
• Laguerre–Gaussian
• quantum
• torsional

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr S. Preble, Dr J. Hertzberg, and Dr E. Hach III for useful discussions and the Research Corporation for Science Advancement for support.

Notes

Notes

1. We note that can be calculated analytically for any given , and arbitrary .