Nonlinear Nanomechanics:

Bistable states, switching,

stochastic resonance,

parametric amplification,

signal up and down

conversion,

frequency entrainment,

macroscopic quantum

tunneling, coupled mode

measurement for

observation of quantization

Nonlinear nanomechanical systems provide a novel laboratory for exploring fascinating nonlinear phenomena, which are yet to be realized in solid-state systems. Recently, nonlinear nanomechanical systems have been used to demonstrate a number of effects, not easily accessed by conventional nonlinear systems. These include high frequency Duffing oscillators, hysteretic metastable states and controllable transition, stochastic resonance, parametric amplification, synchronization, signal up and down conversion, noise-driven resonance and controllable switching. Building on these classical effects, the proposed experimental program is designed to explore the quantum regime in an effort to observe quantum effects such as macroscopic quantum tunneling, quantized energy measurement and quantized phonon emission and absorption in a nanomechanical system. The proposed effort will also pave the way for a new generation of experiments in foundations of quantum mechanics and information processing.

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