Macroscopic quantum effects in nanomechanical systems

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum effects in nanoscale elastic beams, especially carbon nanotubes, highlighting the potential to observe macroscopic quantum coherence near critical strain conditions.

Contribution

It models quantum fluctuations and nonlinear energies in nanobeams, proposing the possibility of observing macroscopic quantum phenomena in carbon nanotubes.

Findings

Zero point fluctuations are accessible in small carbon nanotubes.

Near the Euler instability, quantum coherence may be observable.

The system is described by a Ginzburg-Landau model for buckling mode.

Abstract

We investigate quantum effects in the mechanical properties of elastic beams on the nanoscale. Transverse quantum and thermal fluctuations and the nonlinear excitation energies are calculated for beams compressed in longitudinal direction. Near the Euler instability, the system is described by a one dimensional Ginzburg-Landau model where the order parameter is the amplitude of the buckling mode. We show that in single wall carbon nanotubes with lengths of order or smaller than 100 nm zero point fluctuations are accessible and discuss the possibility of observing macroscopic quantum coherence in nanobeams near the critical strain.