Volume 534, Issue 11 2200231
Research Article

Bidirectional Optical Non-Reciprocity in a Multi-Mode Cavity Optomechanical System

Muhib Ullah

Muhib Ullah

Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 China

Search for more papers by this author
Xihua Yang

Xihua Yang

Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444 China

Search for more papers by this author
Li-Gang Wang

Corresponding Author

Li-Gang Wang

Department of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027 China

Canadian Quantum Research Center, Vernon, BC, V1T 2L7 Canada

E-mail: [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 12 September 2022
Citations: 1

Abstract

Optical non-reciprocity that allows unidirectional flow of optical field is pivoted on time reversal symmetry breaking, which originates from radiation pressure because of light–matter interaction in cavity optomechanical systems. Here, the non-reciprocal transport of optical signals across two ports via three optical modes optomechanically coupled to the mechanical excitations of two nanomechanical resonators (NMRs) is studied under the influence of strong classical drive fields and weak probe fields. It is found that there exists the conversion of reciprocal to non-reciprocal signal transmission via tuning the drive fields and perfect non-reciprocal transmission of output fields is realized when the effective cavity detuning parameters are near resonant to the NMRs' frequencies. The unidirectional non-reciprocal transport is robust to the optomechanical couplings around resonance conditions. Moreover, the loss rates of cavities play an inevitable role in the unidirectional flow of signal across the two ports. Bidirectional transmission can also be controlled by the phase changes associated with the probe and drive fields along with their relative phase. This scheme may provide a foundation for the compact non-reciprocal communication and quantum information processing, thus enabling novel devices that route photons in unconventional ways such as all-optical diodes, optical transistors, and optical switches.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.