Parametric amplification and self-oscillation in a nanotube mechanical resonator

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates parametric amplification and self-oscillation in a nanotube mechanical resonator, achieving high gain and revealing nonlinear damping effects, with implications for ultra-sensitive force sensing.

Contribution

It introduces the use of a tunable nanotube resonator for parametric amplification and self-oscillation, providing new insights into damping mechanisms in nanotube mechanics.

Findings

Achieved up to 18.2 dB gain in parametric amplification

Damping rate lower than resonance lineshape suggests nonlinear damping forces

Potential for ultra-low force sensing applications

Abstract

A hallmark of mechanical resonators made from a single nanotube is that the resonance frequency can be widely tuned. Here, we take advantage of this property to realize parametric amplification and self-oscillation. The gain of the parametric amplification can be as high as 18.2 dB and tends to saturate at high parametric pumping due to nonlinear damping. These measurements allow us to determine the coefficient of the linear damping force. The corresponding damping rate is lower than the one obtained from the lineshape of the resonance (without pumping), supporting the recently reported scenario that describes damping in nanotube resonators by a nonlinear force. The possibility to combine nanotube resonant mechanics and parametric amplification holds promise for future ultra-low force sensing experiments.