Radiation pressure in finite Fabry–Pérot cavities

Dynamical multistability induced by radiation pressure in high-finesse micromechanical optical cavities.

We analyze the nonlinear dynamics of a high-finesse optical cavity in which one mirror is mounted on a flexible mechanical element. We find that this system is governed by an array of dynamical attractors, which arise from phase locking between the mechanical oscillations of the mirror and the ringing of the light intensity in the cavity. We develop an analytical theory to map out the diagram o...

Angular control of optical cavities in a radiation-pressure-dominated regime: the Enhanced LIGO case.

We describe the angular sensing and control (ASC) of 4 km detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Enhanced LIGO, the culmination of the first generation LIGO detectors, operated between 2009 and 2010 with about 40 kW of laser power in the arm cavities. In this regime, radiation-pressure effects are significant and induce instabilities in the angular opto-mec...

Cavities determine the pressure unfolding of proteins.

It has been known for nearly 100 years that pressure unfolds proteins, yet the physical basis of this effect is not understood. Unfolding by pressure implies that the molar volume of the unfolded state of a protein is smaller than that of the folded state. This decrease in volume has been proposed to arise from differences between the density of bulk water and water associated with the protein,...

Finite element modeling of thermoviscous acoustics in closed cavities

An Investigation of the Seismic Interaction of Surface Foundations and Underground Cavities Using Finite Element Method

In this study, the seismic interaction of surface foundations and underground cavities was investigated. For this purpose, a parametric study of geometric dimensions of the foundation and cavity, their location, and the effect of the interaction between surface foundations and underground cavities was evaluated. The variable parameters include the ratio of the overburden height to the foundatio...