A single-mode phononic wire

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the design and experimental realization of a single-mode phononic wire on a silicon chip, enabling low-loss, coherent phonon transmission for potential on-chip information processing.

Contribution

It introduces a method to create a single-channel phononic wire with minimal scattering, advancing phonon-based information manipulation technologies.

Findings

Complete elimination of all but one phonon conduction channel.

Observation of low-loss standing waves in millimeter-long phononic wires.

Optical cooling and addressing of phononic modes.

Abstract

Photons and electrons transmit information to form complex systems and networks. Phonons on the other hand, the quanta of mechanical motion, are often considered only as carriers of thermal energy. Nonetheless, their flow can also be molded in fabricated nanoscale circuits. We design and experimentally demonstrate wires for phonons that transmit information with little loss or scattering across a chip. By patterning the surface of a silicon chip, we completely eliminate all but one channel of phonon conduction. We observe the emergence of low-loss standing waves in millimeter long phononic wires that we address and cool optically. Coherent transport and strong optical coupling to a phononic wire enables new phononic technologies to manipulate information and energy on a chip.