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Optomechanics

Photons refrigerating phonons

Optomechanics is a promising route towards the observation of quantum effects in relatively large structures. Three papers, each discussing a different implementation, now combine optical sideband and cryogenic cooling to refrigerate mechanical resonators to fewer than 60 phonons.

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Figure 1: Resolved-sideband cooling of an optomechanical resonator.

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Cleland, A. Photons refrigerating phonons. Nature Phys 5, 458–460 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys1324

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