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Synchronization of Optomechanical Nanobeams by Mechanical Interaction

M. F. Colombano, G. Arregui, N. E. Capuj, A. Pitanti, J. Maire, A. Griol, B. Garrido, A. Martinez, C. M. Sotomayor-Torres, and D. Navarro-Urrios
Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 017402 – Published 1 July 2019
Physics logo See Synopsis: Synchronizing Nanosized “Pendulums”
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Abstract

The synchronization of coupled oscillators is a phenomenon found throughout nature. Mechanical oscillators are paradigmatic examples, but synchronizing their nanoscaled versions is challenging. We report synchronization of the mechanical dynamics of a pair of optomechanical crystal cavities that, in contrast to previous works performed in similar objects, are intercoupled with a mechanical link and support independent optical modes. In this regime they oscillate in antiphase, which is in agreement with the predictions of our numerical model that considers reactive coupling. We also show how to temporarily disable synchronization of the coupled system by actuating one of the cavities with a heating laser, so that both cavities oscillate independently. Our results can be upscaled to more than two cavities and pave the way towards realizing integrated networks of synchronized mechanical oscillators.

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  • Received 16 October 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.017402

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Nonlinear DynamicsGeneral PhysicsAtomic, Molecular & Optical

Synopsis

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Synchronizing Nanosized “Pendulums”

Published 1 July 2019

Researchers synchronize the motion of two nanosized photonic crystals, showing that their “swings” match those seen for larger oscillators, such as the pendulums in grandfather clocks.

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Authors & Affiliations

M. F. Colombano1,2,*, G. Arregui1,2,*, N. E. Capuj3,4, A. Pitanti5, J. Maire1, A. Griol6, B. Garrido7, A. Martinez6, C. M. Sotomayor-Torres1,8, and D. Navarro-Urrios7,†

  • 1Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
  • 2Dept. de Fìsica, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
  • 3Depto. Física, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
  • 4Instituto Universitario de Materiales y Nanotecnología, Universidad de La Laguna, 38071 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
  • 5NEST, CNR—Istituto Nanoscienze and Scuola Normale Superiore, Piazza San Silvestro 12, 56127 Pisa, Italy
  • 6Nanophotonics Technology Center, Universitat Politècnica de Valencia, 46022 Valencia, Spain
  • 7MIND-IN2UB, Departament d’Enginyerìa Electrònica i Biomèdica, Facultat de Fìsica, Universitat de Barcelona, Martì i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
  • 8ICREA—Instituciò Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • dnavarro@ub.edu

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Issue

Vol. 123, Iss. 1 — 3 July 2019

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