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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24539 |
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| _version_ | 1866912797461315584 |
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| author | Metzger, Cyril Emser, Alec L. Rose, Brendon C. Lehnert, Konrad W. |
| author_facet | Metzger, Cyril Emser, Alec L. Rose, Brendon C. Lehnert, Konrad W. |
| contents | We present experimental evidence of a thermally-driven amplitude-frequency nonlinearity in a thin-film quartz phononic crystal resonator at millikelvin temperatures. The nonlinear response arises from the coupling of the mechanical mode to an ensemble of microscopic two-level system defects driven out of equilibrium by a microwave drive. In contrast to the conventional Duffing oscillator, the observed nonlinearity exhibits a mixed reactive-dissipative character. Notably, the reactive effect can manifest as either a softening or hardening of the mechanical resonance, depending on the ratio of thermal to phonon energy. By combining the standard TLS theory with a thermal conductance model, the measured power-dependent response is quantitatively reproduced and readout-enhanced relaxation damping from off-resonant TLSs is identified as the primary mechanism limiting mechanical coherence. Within this framework, we delineate the conditions under which similar systems will realize this nonlinearity. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_24539 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | TLS-induced thermal nonlinearity in a micro-mechanical resonator Metzger, Cyril Emser, Alec L. Rose, Brendon C. Lehnert, Konrad W. Quantum Physics Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics We present experimental evidence of a thermally-driven amplitude-frequency nonlinearity in a thin-film quartz phononic crystal resonator at millikelvin temperatures. The nonlinear response arises from the coupling of the mechanical mode to an ensemble of microscopic two-level system defects driven out of equilibrium by a microwave drive. In contrast to the conventional Duffing oscillator, the observed nonlinearity exhibits a mixed reactive-dissipative character. Notably, the reactive effect can manifest as either a softening or hardening of the mechanical resonance, depending on the ratio of thermal to phonon energy. By combining the standard TLS theory with a thermal conductance model, the measured power-dependent response is quantitatively reproduced and readout-enhanced relaxation damping from off-resonant TLSs is identified as the primary mechanism limiting mechanical coherence. Within this framework, we delineate the conditions under which similar systems will realize this nonlinearity. |
| title | TLS-induced thermal nonlinearity in a micro-mechanical resonator |
| topic | Quantum Physics Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24539 |