Optomechanical tension and crumpling of resonant membranes

Abstract

We predict that illumination by a plane electromagnetic wave of optically resonant membranes, such as graphene or monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides, directly affects their mechanical tension. The induced optomechanical tension is anisotropic and, depending on the spectral detuning from the resonance, can be both positive and negative. In the latter case, it can overcome the bending rigidity of the membrane leading to transition to the crumpled phase. The instability caused by optomechanical heating of flexural vibrations is also considered.