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Microwave Photonics Systems Based on Whispering-gallery-mode Resonators
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Symmetry-Breaking-Induced Frequency Combs in Graphene Resonators
Ata Keşkekler1, Hadi Arjmandi-Tash1, Peter G Steeneken1,2
1Department of Precision and Microsystems Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, Delft 2628 CD, The Netherlands.
Nano Letters
|July 29, 2022
Summary
Researchers generated mechanical frequency combs in graphene resonators by breaking symmetry with electrostatic force. This tuning leads to strong mode coupling and frequency comb emergence, revealing new nonlinear dynamics in 2D materials.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear Dynamics
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Nonlinearities are fundamental to the dynamics of two-dimensional (2D) materials.
- Intermodal coupling in 2D materials can occur at small amplitudes (nanometers).
- Unexplored nonlinear phenomena in 2D materials offer potential for novel applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate a method for generating mechanical frequency combs in graphene resonators.
- To investigate the role of symmetry-breaking forces in exciting nonlinear dynamics.
- To explore the emergence of chaotic dynamics and frequency combs in 2D material resonators.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing electrostatic force to break the out-of-plane symmetry of graphene membranes.
- Tuning the graphene resonator's frequency to achieve a one-to-two internal resonance.
- Analyzing the mechanical response of the resonator under increasing drive levels.
Main Results:
- Achieved strong coupling between two mechanical modes of the graphene resonator.
- Observed splitting of the fundamental resonance peak with increasing drive.
- Demonstrated the emergence of a mechanical frequency comb regime.
- Identified a nonsymmetric restoring potential as the cause of the observed physics.
- Showed that Neimark bifurcation mediates the frequency comb regime.
Conclusions:
- Symmetry-breaking forces can induce significant nonlinear effects in 2D material resonators.
- Mechanical frequency combs and chaotic dynamics arise in 2D materials near internal resonances.
- This work opens avenues for harnessing nonlinear phenomena in graphene for advanced applications.
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