Radiation Pressure

Radiation pressure in the quantum engine We are developing techniques to measure quantum aspects of the radiation pressure in optical cavities. This involves integrating ultrahigh sensitive mechanical detetors into high finesse optical cavities. Optical control of microstructures We use radiation pressure to manipulate micromechanical structures on unprecedentedly fine length scales , to laser cool them, and to study the nonlinear dynamics of coupled optical and mechanical systems. Mechanical control of nonclassical light The quantum fluctuations of light can be altered by the response of a sufficiently flexible mirror. We are exploring the possibility of using this effect to generate squeezed and entangled light.