Coupled parametric oscillators: From disorder-induced current to asymmetric Ising model

Abstract

We study the effects of the interplay of weak disorder and weak coupling in a system of parametric micromechanical oscillators. Each oscillator is bistable, enabling the mapping of its stable states onto spin states. The coupling changes the rate of interstate switching of an oscillator depending on the state of other oscillators. We demonstrate that the change is exponentially strong and therefore manifests even for weak coupling. Difference in the oscillator eigenfrequencies translates into disorder in the system. The analysis and the experiment show that disorder leads to a nontrivial stationary state that displays current. The system provides a well-controlled and fully characterized implementation of the asymmetric Ising model, in which coupled spins affect each other differently. This model plays an important role in physics and biology. Our findings open the possibilities of constructing and exploring asymmetric Ising systems with controlled parameters and connectivity. Published by the American Physical Society 2024