Synchronization of nanomechanical oscillators

• US 9,660,654 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Villanueva Torrijo, Luis Guillermo, Roukes, Michael L., Cross, Michael C., Karabalin, Rassul, Matheny, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US14/063,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20140176203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 331156, 331 46, 331116 M, 331 2, 331 55, 327156, 977742, 73579
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/30 with frequency-determining element being electromechanical resonator
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/00 Automatic control of frequency or phase; Synchronisation

Abstract

Synchronization of oscillators based on anharmonic nanoelectromechanical resonators. Experimental implimentation allows for unprecedented observation and control of parameters governing the dynamics of synchronization. Close quantitative agreement is found between experimental data and theory describing reactively coupled Duffing resonators with fully saturated feedback gain. In the synchonized state, a significant reduction in the phase noise of the oscillators is demonstrated, which is key for applications such as sensors and clocks. Oscillator networks constructed from nanomechanical resonators form an important laboratory to commercialize and study synchronization—given their high-quality factors, small footprint, and ease of co-integration with modern electronic signal processing technologies. Networks can be made including one-, two-, and three-dimensional networks. Triangular and square lattices can be made.

Claims

1. A device to provide synchronized distinct oscillators comprising:

a plurality of distinct oscillators including a first distinct oscillator and a second distinct oscillator,

the first distinct oscillator comprising a first nanoelectromechanical resonator adapted to function as part of the first distinct oscillator, an input port, an output port, and a port to control device resonance frequency;

the second distinct oscillator comprising a second nanoelectromechanical resonator adapted to function as part of the second distinct oscillator, an input port, and output port, and a port to control device resonance frequency;

electronic circuitry electronically coupled to the distinct oscillators and adapted so that the distinct oscillators are synchronized with use of electronic feedback, wherein each distinct oscillator produces a signal, and the signal from each distinct oscillator is split into two different feedback loops, wherein one of the two different feedback loops is an oscillator loop for creating self-sustained oscillations, and the other is a coupling loop to synchronize distinct oscillators.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein, for each oscillator, the coupling loop of the oscillator is coupled to the coupling loop of at least one other oscillator.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling loop of at least one oscillator is inductively coupled to the coupling loop of at least one other oscillator.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillator loop is dissipative, and the coupling loop is reactive.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillator loop is dissipative, and the coupling loop is reactive, wherein, for each oscillator, the oscillator loop is adapted to produce a nonlinear feedback signal in response to an oscillation amplitude signal;

and the coupling loop is configured to produce signal that depends substantially linearly on a frequency detuning of the oscillator from at least one other coupled oscillator.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein in the oscillator loop a signal is amplified with gain g and then sent through a saturating limiter.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein in the oscillator loop a signal is amplified with gain g and then sent through a saturating limiter and then to a voltage controlled attenuator after each limiter which sets a level of oscillation.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the coupling loop comprises a common loop common to the two oscillators, wherein a signal is amplified so that a voltage controlled attenuator adjusts the signal level in the common loop, thereby setting the coupling strength.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein a frequency difference is controlled by adjusting the stress induced in one of the resonators by a piezovoltage.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device provides for three parameter controls (Δ

ω

,α

,β

) which are independent, wherein Δ

ω

is the difference between resonant frequencies of the resonators, α

is the amount of frequency pulling, and β

is the coupling strength.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the device provides for three parameter controls (Δ

ω

,α

,β

) which are controlled by independent and external DC voltage sources, wherein Δ

ω

is the difference between resonant frequencies of the resonators, α

is the amount of frequency pulling, and β

is the coupling strength.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are coupled in a one-dimensional chain.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are part of a multidimensional network.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are part of a two-dimensional network.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are part of a three-dimensional network.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are part of a random network.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein each oscillator is equally coupled to all other oscillators.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are coupled through a transmission line.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising a coupling bus adapted to provide selectable coupling of the oscillators.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising a coupling bus adapted to provide selectable coupling of the oscillators, wherein the selectable coupling is at least one of all-to-all coupling, nearest-neighbor coupling, or decaying coupling.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein some but not all of the oscillators are coupled.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one attenuator is used between oscillators.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators form part of an oscillator lattice.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators form part of a triangular lattice.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators form part of a hexagonal lattice.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators form part of a square lattice.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises two to 99 oscillators.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least 100 oscillators.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least 10,000 oscillators.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the control of device resonance frequency is adapted to be carried out by modifying stress, by piezoelectric or thermal methods, or through a capacitive gate.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a frequency source.

32. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a sensor.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises an amplifier.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a neural network.

35. A method of using the device of claim 1, wherein the oscillators are used in a synchronized state.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

synchronizing the oscillators;

applying a stimulus to the oscillators that modifies the oscillation of the oscillators;

combining output signals from the oscillators to generate a combined output signal indicative of the stimulus; and

outputting the combined output signal.