Photochromic Molecules Enable Optical Control of Optomechanical Coupling in a Cavity

Year: 2025

Authors: Cagetti M., Cardelli M., Arimondo E., Lavista L., D’Elia F., Camposeo A., Pisignano D., Ciampini D.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Pisa, Dipartimento Fis E Fermi, Lgo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; INO CNR, Via G Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa, Italy; Ist Nanosci CNR, NEST, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; Scuola Normale Super Pisa, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; Scuola Normale Super Pisa, NEST, Piazza San Silvestro 12, I-56127 Pisa, Italy; Univ Pisa, CISUP Ctr Integraz Strumentaz, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.

Abstract: Expanding the control of optomechanical coupling into the optical domain, namely beyond electronic and electromechanical gates, offers unequalled advantages in terms of spatial precision and remote operation. Here, a photochromic-based system is introduced with optically tunable optomechanical coupling. The system features a multilayered membrane as one of its mirrors, as well as a polymer layer doped with a photochromic molecule and a near-infrared absorbing dye. The interaction between mechanical modes and the electromagnetic field is harnessed to lower the effective temperature of mechanical vibrations. Laser cooling of a membrane vibrational mode is evidenced to about 115 K, and it is found that the cooling efficiency, mechanical damping, and photothermal response time can be effectively tuned by isomerization of the photochromic component. Such effect leads up to about 60% increase in cooling efficiency, related to photoinduced changes in volume and thermal properties during isomer conversion. These findings introduce new possibilities for the development of optomechanical systems with tunable properties entirely driven by light for applications in advanced sensing, nanomechanics, and optical logics.

Journal/Review: ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS

Volume: 13 (10)      Pages from:   to:

More Information: M.C. and M.C. contributed equally to this work. L. Romano is acknowledged for the evaporation of the Au layers. D.C. and D.P. acknowledge the support from the project PRA_2022_98 (IMAGINATION) from the University of Pisa. A. C. and D. P. acknowledge the support of the European Union – Next Generation EU, Mission 4 Component 2 Inv. 1.5 CUP I53C2 2000780001 and B83C22003930001 (Tuscany Health Ecosystem, Spoke 4: Nanotechnologies for diagnosis and therapy)’’, promoting the confocal investigation of intelligent molecular systems. CISUP – Centre for Instrumentation Sharing, University of Pisa, is also kindly acknowledged for the access to the confocal facility.
KeyWords: cavity optomechanics; optical switching; optical control; photochromic molecules
DOI: 10.1002/adom.202402883