Monocrystalline AlGaAs heterostructures for high-reflectivity high-Q micromechanical resonators in the MHz regime

Author(s)
Garrett Cole, Simon Gröblacher, Katharina Gugler, Sylvain Gigan, Markus Aspelmeyer
Abstract

We present high-performance megahertz micromechanical oscillators based on freestanding epitaxial AlxGa1−xAs distributed Bragg reflectors. Compared with dielectric reflectors, the low mechanical loss of the monocrystalline heterostructure gives rise to significant improvements in the achievable mechanical quality factor Q while simultaneously exhibiting near unity reflectivity. Experimental characterization yields an optical reflectivity exceeding 99.98% and mechanical quality factors up to 20 000 at 4K. This materials system is not only an interesting candidate for optical coatings with ultralow thermal noise, but also provides a promising path toward quantum optical control of massive micromechanical mirrors.

Organisation(s)
Quantum Science
External organisation(s)
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)
Journal
Applied Physics Letters
Volume
10
No. of pages
3
ISSN
0003-6951
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2952512
Publication date
2008
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
1030 Physics, Astronomy
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/94d76c10-1c9f-483a-9f32-a8080e99cbad