Quantum opto-mechanics: Quantum optical control of massive mechanical resonators

The toolbox of quantum optics allows to achieve coherent quantum control over massive mechanical resonators by using radiation pressure of light inside optical cavities. Only recently, cavity-assisted ground state cooling of mechanical motion has been achieved both in the micro- and in the nanomechanical domain [1, 2]. Together with the strong coupling regime [3], this opens up a new parameter regime for macroscopic quantum physics with respect to size and mass of the objects under investigation. I will discuss the prospects of generating macroscopic quantum superposition states [4] and quantum entanglement [5], both for micromechanical interfaces for quantum information processing and for new tests of the foundations of quantum physics.