Nonlinear radiation pressure dynamics in an optomechanical crystal (original) (raw)

Utilizing a silicon nanobeam optomechanical crystal, we investigate the attractor diagram arising from the radiation pressure interaction between a localized optical cavity at lambda=1552\lambda = 1552lambda=1552nm and a mechanical resonance at omega/2pi=3.72\omega/2\pi = 3.72omega/2pi=3.72GHz. At a temperature of Tapprox10T \approx 10Tapprox10K, highly nonlinear driving of mechanical motion is observed via continuous wave optical pumping. Introduction of a time-dependent (modulated) optical pump is used to steer the system towards an otherwise inaccessible dynamically stable attractor in which mechanical self-oscillation occurs for an optical pump red-detuned from the cavity resonance. An analytical model incorporating thermo-optic effects due to optical absorption heating is developed, and found to accurately predict the measured device behavior.