Quantum Opto-Mechanics with Whispering Gallery Modes in Crystalline Materials

This proposal aims to develop technology to manufacture whispering gallery mode (WGM) disc and toroidal resonators from crystalline materials. Ultra-high optical and mechanical Q-factors of the resonator are attained through precision lathe machining down to smoothness of a few atomic layers. Using these high-Q resonators, we aim to (1) develop optical sensors and metrological devices with unprecedented sensitivity and accuracy; (2) investigate novel opto-mechanical quantum phenomena between the circulating light field and mechanical modes; and (3) generate robust optical states that exhibit strong quantum characteristics for quantum communication and quantum computation applications.