Colloquium

Quantum Nanomechanics: Quantized Motion and Stochastic Resonance

Raj Mohanty
Boston University
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Higgins 310, 4 pm

Observation of quantum mechanical motion in macroscopic mechanical oscillators has been an outstanding goal in a number of fields. Enabled by recent technological advances, it is now possible to create nanomechanical oscillators at resonance frequencies in the gigahertz range. If cooled to millikelvin temperatures, these nanomechanical structures enter the quantum regime of mechanical motion. I will describe recent experiments in my group, which demonstrate mechanical motion in the quantum regime, marked by their discrete response to applied drive. I will also discuss the prospect of classical nanomechanical computation with memory elements created by nanomechanical silicon beams, and their control by stochastic resonance.