Q-switching of an optical tweezer phonon laser

We theoretically investigate the active Q-switching of an optical tweezer phonon laser Pettit et al (2019 Nat. Photon. 13 402) operating in a coupled-mode configuration. One of the modes is lasing and outcouples to the second mode. The coupling is induced via asymmetric modulation of the trap potential in the transverse plane of the trapped nanoparticle. We show that a time-modulated coherent coupling between two transverse modes of oscillation of an optically levitated nanoparticle holds the key to coherent pulsed phonon transfer between them. Our analytical and numerical results on the position dynamics, phonon dynamics as well as second-order coherence confirms pulsed phonon lasing transfer between the transverse modes. Our work on Q-switched operation of the optical tweezer phonon laser enhances understanding of the analogies between optical and mechanical lasers, and is relevant to levitated phonon transport, acoustic imaging, sensing and information processing technologies.