  We investigate a semiconductor quantum dot as a microscopic analog of a basic
optomechanical setup. We show, that optomechanical features can be reproduced
by the solid-state platform, arising from parallels of the underlying
interaction processes, which in the optomechanical case is the radiation
pressure coupling and in the semiconductor case the electron-phonon coupling.
In optomechanics, phonons are typically induced via confined photons, acting on
a movable mirror, while in the semiconductor system the phonons are emitted by
the laser-driven electronic system. There are analogous effects present for
both systems, featuring bistabilities, optically induced phonon lasing and
enhanced phonon loss. Nonetheless, the different statistical nature of the
optical cavity and the electronic system also leads to qualitative differences.
