Non-adiabatic dynamics of two strongly coupled nanomechanical resonator modes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates classical analogues of Landau-Zener transitions using two strongly coupled nanomechanical resonator modes, revealing the transition from diabatic to adiabatic behavior through controlled frequency sweeps.

Contribution

It introduces a classical mechanical model system that mimics quantum Landau-Zener dynamics using coupled nanomechanical resonator modes.

Findings

Observation of mode anticrossing in the adiabatic limit

Extraction of coupling strength from the anticrossing

Mapping of diabatic to adiabatic transition as a function of sweep rate

Abstract

The Landau-Zener transition is a fundamental concept for dynamical quantum systems and has been studied in numerous fields of physics. Here we present a classical mechanical model system exhibiting analogous behaviour using two inversely tuneable, strongly coupled modes of the same nanomechanical beam resonator. In the adiabatic limit, the anticrossing between the two modes is observed and the coupling strength extracted. Sweeping an initialized mode across the coupling region allows mapping of the progression from diabatic to adiabatic transitions as a function of the sweep rate.