Coherent Signal Amplification in a Nanomechanical Oscillator via Stochastic Resonance

Abstract

For the past few decades, stochastic resonance has emerged as a ubiquitous phenomenon, emerging in such diverse systems as solid‐state electrical circuits and neurophysiological systems to large‐scale climate modeling. The effect is attractive because it allows for the coherent amplification of a weak signal in a nonlinear system by the addition of a measured amount of white noise. Recently, a nanomechanical oscillator has been presented as a possible realization of a mechanical memory element. One of the major obstacles to widespread use of such elements is their behavior at higher temperatures, which has been seen to induce a deterioration of switch fidelity. The use of stochastic resonance provides a powerful means of counteracting such effects, as well as providing a tantalizing glimpse of the use of such phenomena in signal processing, quantum information and quantum control.