Silicon one-dimensional optomechanical cavities offer a cost-effective and highly scalable solution for the study and implementation of non-linear phenomena. By modifying the refractive index of silicon through thermal or free-carrier effects, it becomes possible to optically drive these resonators into a state of high-amplitude and coherent self-sustained mechanical oscillation. The nonlinearity stemming from this amplification mechanism provides significant adaptability in adjusting the frequency of mechanical resonators, enabling experiments such as injection locking, synchronization, and the study of chaotic dynamics. In this work, we show different novel configurations for the synchronization between mechanical flexural modes of silicon nanobeams and their locking to an external reference signal. The results hold great promise for applications in the distribution of clock signals in future photonic integrated circuits, as well as for establishing extensive networks of optomechanical resonators for studying complex non-linear dynamics.
|