  Resonant photoelastic coupling in semiconductor nanostructures opens new
perspectives for strongly enhanced light-sound interaction in optomechanical
resonators. One potential problem, however, is the reduction of the cavity
Q-factor induced by dissipation when the resonance is approached. We show in
this letter that cavity-polariton mediation in the light-matter process
overcomes this limitation allowing for a strongly enhanced photon-phonon
coupling without significant lifetime reduction in the strongly-coupled regime.
Huge optomechanical coupling factors in the PetaHz/nm range are envisaged,
three orders of magnitude larger than the backaction produced by the mechanical
displacement of the cavity mirrors.
