Frequency Comb from a Single Driven Nonlinear Nanomechanical Mode

Phononic frequency combs have attracted increasing attention both as a qualitatively new type of nonlinear phenomena in vibrational systems and from the point of view of applications. It is commonly believed that at least two modes must be involved in generating a comb. We demonstrate that a comb can be generated by a single nanomechanical mode driven by a resonant monochromatic drive. The comb emerges where the drive is still weak, so the anharmonic part of the mode potential energy remains small. We relate the experimental observation to a negative nonlinear friction induced by the resonant drive, which makes the vibrations at the drive frequency unstable. We directly map the measured trajectories of the emerging oscillations in the rotating frame and show how these oscillations lead to the frequency comb in the laboratory frame. The results go beyond nanomechanics and suggest a qualitatively new approach to generating tunable frequency combs in single-mode vibrational systems. They demonstrate new sides of the interplay of conservative and dissipative nonlinearities in driven systems.

Automated summary

Phononic frequency combs have been attracting increasing attention as a new type of nonlinear phenomenon and their potential applications. This study demonstrates the generation of a frequency comb by a single nanomechanical mode driven by a resonant monochromatic drive. The observed comb emerges at weak drive conditions, suggesting the presence of a negative nonlinear friction induced by the resonant drive. These findings go beyond the field of nanomechanics and present a new approach to generate tunable frequency combs in single-mode vibrational systems.