Dynamics of coupled vibration modes in a quantum non-linear mechanical resonator

Abstract: We investigate the behaviour of two non-linearly coupled flexural modes of a doubly-clamped suspended beam (nanomechanical resonator). One of the modes is externally driven. We demonstrate that classically, the behavior of the non-driven mode is reminiscent of that of a parametrically driven linear oscillator: It exhibits a threshold behavior, with the amplitude of this mode below the threshold being exactly zero. Quantum-mechanically, we were able to access the dynamics of this mode below the classical parametric threshold. We show that whereas the mean displacement of this mode is still zero, the mean squared displacement is finite and at the threshold corresponds to the occupation number of 1/2. This finite displacement of the non-driven mode can serve as an experimentally verifiable quantum signature of quantum motion.