Atom Optomechanics

Abstract

This chapter gives an introduction to optomechanics with ultracold atoms. The opening half deals with optomechanical atom–light interactions. Section 9.2 introduces atom trapping. Section 9.3 discusses the properties of trapped atoms as mechanical oscillators. Section 9.4 describes optomechanical interactions, treating the atoms as polarizable particles, a model used in section 9.5 to derive optomechanical coupling of atoms and a cavity field and briefly review cavity optomechanics experiments with atoms in the quantum regime. The second half deals with hybrid mechanical-atomic systems. We start with an overview of different coupling mechanisms, then focus on light-mediated interactions and derive the coupling of a membrane to an ensemble of laser-cooled atoms. Section 9.8 reviews experiments on sympathetic cooling of a membrane with cold atoms, with perspectives for mechanical quantum control discussed in section 9.9. Section 9.10 introduces the possibilities that arise if the mechanical oscillator is coupled to the atomic internal state.