UC Merced

Parametric devices have become a stepping stone in our development of modern technology and new scientific discoveries. They play a role in making astronomical observations with the use of parametric amplifiers as high-sensitivity low-noise first stage amplifiers, or in modern communications as amplifiers of optical frequency light. In addition, parametric devices have been successfully implemented in optomechanics to ''cool'' or ''heat'' mechanical motion. In fact, with such systems it has been possible to ``cool'' the motion of a mirror down to its quantum ground state, which is the lowest state of motion obtainable due to the quantum limit. The most common systems of the time consist of optical systems using optical cavities and fiber optics, or micro systems using planar superconducting strip resonators. In this dissertation parametric devices with cm-scaled RF cavities and oscillators are considered. The approach is to show that the same underlying effects that exist in optical systems also exist in with microwave cavities, and with the development of high-Q superconducting RF cavities feasible threshold for parametric effects are obtainable.