Photon Generation in an Electromagnetic Cavity with a Time-Dependent Boundary

C. M. Wilson, T. Duty, Martin Sandberg, Fredrik Persson, V. S. Shumeǐko, Per Delsing

Abstract

We report the observation of photon generation in a microwave cavity with a time-dependent boundary condition. Our system is a microfabricated quarter-wave coplanar waveguide cavity. The electrical length of the cavity is varied by using the tunable inductance of a superconducting quantum interference device. It is measured at a temperature significantly less than the resonance frequency. When the length is modulated at approximately twice the static resonance frequency, spontaneous parametric oscillations of the cavity field are observed. Time-resolved measurements of the dynamical state of the cavity show multiple stable states. The behavior is well described by theory. Our results may be considered a preliminary step towards demonstrating the dynamical Casimir effect.

Locations

• Physical Review Letters - View
• arXiv (Cornell University) - View - PDF
• Chalmers Research (Chalmers University of Technology) - View - PDF
• PubMed - View
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