A cavity optomechanical locking scheme based on the optical spring effect

Abstract

We present a novel locking scheme for active length-stabilization and frequency detuning of a cavity optomechanical device based on the optical spring effect. The scheme can be used as an alternative to the Pound-Drever-Hall locking technique but in contrast doesn't require signal processing on time-scales of the cavity decay rate. It is therefore particularly suited for stabilizing micro cavities, where this time-scale can be extremely fast. The error signal is generated through the optical spring effect, i.e. the detuning-dependent frequency-shift of a nanomechanical oscillator that is dispersively coupled to the intra-cavity light field. We explain the functional principle of the lock and characterize its performance in terms of bandwidth and gain profile. The optical spring locking scheme can be implemented without larger efforts in a wide variety of optomechanical systems in the unresolved sideband regime.