Dynamic manipulation of mechanical resonators in the high amplitude regime through optical backaction

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates high amplitude operation of nanomechanical resonators using optical backaction, enabling a non-volatile mechanical memory and advancing understanding of energy dynamics in optomechanical systems.

Contribution

It introduces a method to operate nanomechanical resonators at high amplitudes via phonon generation, surpassing previous ground state cooling efforts.

Findings

Achieved high amplitude nanomechanical resonator operation.

Realized a non-volatile mechanical memory element.

Controlled mechanical damping to write and reset bits.

Abstract

Cavity optomechanics enables active manipulation of mechanical resonators through backaction cooling and amplification. This ability to control mechanical motion with retarded optical forces has recently spurred a race towards realizing a mechanical resonator in its quantum ground state. Here, instead of quenching optomechanical motion, we demonstrate high amplitude operation of nanomechanical resonators by utilizing a highly efficient phonon generation process. In this regime, the nanomechanical resonators gain sufficient energy from the optical field to overcome the large energy barrier of a double well potential, leading to nanomechanical slow-down and zero frequency singularity, as predicted by early theories . Besides fundamental studies and interests in parametric amplification of small forces, optomechanical backaction is also projected to open new windows for studying discrete mechanical states, and to foster applications. Here we realize a non-volatile mechanical memory element, in which bits are written and reset via optomechanical backaction by controlling the mechanical damping across the barrier. Our study casts a new perspective on the energy dynamics in coupled mechanical resonator - cavity systems and enables novel functional devices that utilize the principles of cavity optomechanics.