A phonon transistor in an electromechanical resonator array

An electromechanical resonator array is developed that consists of 5 mechanically coupled membranes. Mechanical excitation of the array results in 2 types of oscillations, an extended mechanical oscillation that propagates through all 5 membranes and a localized mechanical oscillation that is confined to just some of the membranes. The dynamic interaction of these 2 types of oscillations is used to implement a transistor in this phononic system. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.