Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics

Abstract Frequency combs (FCs) have proven to be efficient tools in fields such as ranging, communication, and computing. Traditionally, these combs have a large footprint and require external devices for operation which limits their practicality in miniaturized systems such as on-chip photonic comp...

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Main Authors: Xinchen Wan, Ji Xia, Haoyang Sun, Qingze Guan, Guangya Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Physics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02214-x
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author Xinchen Wan
Ji Xia
Haoyang Sun
Qingze Guan
Guangya Zhou
author_facet Xinchen Wan
Ji Xia
Haoyang Sun
Qingze Guan
Guangya Zhou
author_sort Xinchen Wan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Frequency combs (FCs) have proven to be efficient tools in fields such as ranging, communication, and computing. Traditionally, these combs have a large footprint and require external devices for operation which limits their practicality in miniaturized systems such as on-chip photonic computing devices. To address these limitations, we propose an alternative method to generate FCs directly on a single chip, significantly reducing both the system footprint and power consumption. This approach leverages the natural interactions between thermo-optical effects and mechanical vibration. By leveraging a combination of thermo-optical effects and nonlinearity-induced frequency mixing within a single cavity system, we are able to generate stable frequency combs at room temperature without the need for external driving forces. Our experimental results confirm the theory, showcasing a potential pathway to more efficient and compact devices for communication and computation applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-69bf8d500eba4be1a6ea85b65cfc140b
institution Kabale University
issn 2399-3650
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Communications Physics
spelling doaj-art-69bf8d500eba4be1a6ea85b65cfc140b2025-08-20T03:43:02ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Physics2399-36502025-07-01811910.1038/s42005-025-02214-xOptomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanicsXinchen Wan0Ji Xia1Haoyang Sun2Qingze Guan3Guangya Zhou4Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, National University of SingaporeDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, National University of SingaporeAbstract Frequency combs (FCs) have proven to be efficient tools in fields such as ranging, communication, and computing. Traditionally, these combs have a large footprint and require external devices for operation which limits their practicality in miniaturized systems such as on-chip photonic computing devices. To address these limitations, we propose an alternative method to generate FCs directly on a single chip, significantly reducing both the system footprint and power consumption. This approach leverages the natural interactions between thermo-optical effects and mechanical vibration. By leveraging a combination of thermo-optical effects and nonlinearity-induced frequency mixing within a single cavity system, we are able to generate stable frequency combs at room temperature without the need for external driving forces. Our experimental results confirm the theory, showcasing a potential pathway to more efficient and compact devices for communication and computation applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02214-x
spellingShingle Xinchen Wan
Ji Xia
Haoyang Sun
Qingze Guan
Guangya Zhou
Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
Communications Physics
title Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
title_full Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
title_fullStr Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
title_full_unstemmed Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
title_short Optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in NEMS-based cavity optomechanics
title_sort optomechanical frequency comb induced by thermal and optical forces in nems based cavity optomechanics
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-02214-x
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AT jixia optomechanicalfrequencycombinducedbythermalandopticalforcesinnemsbasedcavityoptomechanics
AT haoyangsun optomechanicalfrequencycombinducedbythermalandopticalforcesinnemsbasedcavityoptomechanics
AT qingzeguan optomechanicalfrequencycombinducedbythermalandopticalforcesinnemsbasedcavityoptomechanics
AT guangyazhou optomechanicalfrequencycombinducedbythermalandopticalforcesinnemsbasedcavityoptomechanics