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Symmetry breaking in a mechanical resonator made from a carbon nanotube

Author

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  • A. Eichler

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park
    Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB
    Present address: Department of Physics, ETH Zurich, Schafmattstrasse 16, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • J. Moser

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park
    Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB)

  • M.I. Dykman

    (Michigan State University)

  • A. Bachtold

    (ICFO—Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, Mediterranean Technology Park
    Institut Català de Nanotecnologia, Campus de la UAB)

Abstract

Nanotubes behave as semi-flexible polymers in that they can bend by a sizeable amount. When integrating a nanotube in a mechanical resonator, the bending is expected to break the symmetry of the restoring potential. Here we report on a new detection method that allows us to demonstrate such symmetry breaking. The method probes the motion of the nanotube resonator at nearly zero-frequency; this motion is the low-frequency counterpart of the second overtone of resonantly excited vibrations. We find that symmetry breaking leads to the spectral broadening of mechanical resonances, and to an apparent quality factor that drops below 100 at room temperature. The low quality factor at room temperature is a striking feature of nanotube resonators whose origin has remained elusive for many years. Our results shed light on the role played by symmetry breaking in the mechanics of nanotube resonators.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Eichler & J. Moser & M.I. Dykman & A. Bachtold, 2013. "Symmetry breaking in a mechanical resonator made from a carbon nanotube," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:4:y:2013:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms3843
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms3843
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    Cited by:

    1. Mario F. Gely & Adrián Sanz Mora & Shun Yanai & Rik Spek & Daniel Bothner & Gary A. Steele, 2023. "Apparent nonlinear damping triggered by quantum fluctuations," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-7, December.

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