We investigate how radiation pressure can be used to influence the mechanical motion of a micro-mirror suspended from springs. This trampoline resonator is part of an optical Fabry-Perot cavity. By... Show moreWe investigate how radiation pressure can be used to influence the mechanical motion of a micro-mirror suspended from springs. This trampoline resonator is part of an optical Fabry-Perot cavity. By tuning the laser frequency with respect to the optical resonance, we are able to optically cool the mechanical motion of the resonator. When combining this optical cooling with cryogenic cooling techniques, we are able to bring the mechanical resonator close to the quantum mechanical ground state. This is a requirement for future experiments to investigate the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. Show less
