Investigating quantum phenomena in nano- and micromechanical oscillators

Abstract

This thesis theoretically investigates quantum features in nano- and micromechanical oscillators. The thesis aims at proposing novel schemes to prepare mesoscopic mechanical systems in non-classical states including entangled states. The main emphasis of the work is to understand genuine quantum features in coupled harmonic oscillators with in nite dimensional Hilbert spaces. With the recent experimental breakthroughs in achieving the ground state of mesoscopic mechanical systems, the time is now ripe to investigate in detail a full quantum description of such mesoscopic mechanical systems. Thus, the main emphasis of the thesis is on probing salient quantum features in coupled mechanical systems that are assumed to be prepared in vibrational states close to their quantum ground states. A major part of the thesis makes use of var- ious theoretical techniques widely used in quantum optics and quantum information. The majority of the results reported in this thesis involves analytical calculations augmented with numerical investigations. We believe many of the results obtained will be of interest to researchers with background in quantum optics and quantum information and with research interest in the quantum-classical crossover in continuous variable systems.