Dissipation due to two-level systems in nano-mechanical devices

TL;DR

This paper investigates how two-level systems cause sub-ohmic dissipation in nano-mechanical devices, providing a quantitative model that matches experimental temperature-dependent quality factor data.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical analysis linking two-level systems to dissipation in nano-mechanical devices, with a specific temperature dependence of the inverse quality factor.

Findings

Inverse quality factor depends on temperature as $Q^{-1} (T) oughly Q_0 + C T^{1/3}$

Coupling between flexural modes and two-level systems causes sub-ohmic dissipation

Model quantitatively matches experimental data on dissipation

Abstract

We analyze the dissipation of the frequency vibrations of nano-mechanical devices. We show that the coupling between flexural modes and two-level systems leads to sub-ohmic dissipation. The inverse quality factor of the low energy vibrations depends on temperature as $Q^{-1} (T) \approx Q_0 + C T^{1/3}$, providing a quantitative description of the experimental data.