Cooling carbon nanotubes to the phononic ground state with a constant electron current

We present a quantum theory of cooling of a mechanical resonator using back action with a constant electron current. The resonator device is based on a doubly clamped nanotube, which mechanically vibrates and acts as a double quantum dot for electron transport. Mechanical vibrations and electrons are coupled electrostatically using an external gate. The fundamental eigenmode is cooled by absorbing phonons when electrons tunnel through the double quantum dot. We identify the regimes in which ground-state cooling can be achieved for realistic experimental parameters. © 2009 The American Physical Society.