Dispersive mode coupling in $p$-doped semiconductor nanomechanical resonators

Abstract

Dispersive coupling between vibrational modes with different frequencies is a major nonlinear dynamical effect. We show that in $p$-doped semiconductors such coupling is strongly enhanced. Moreover, the coupling parameters increase with the order of the nonlinearity. The doping-induced dispersive coupling becomes much stronger than the intrinsic one already for moderately strong doping. Its dependence on the hole density is nonmonotonic, and the temperature dependence becomes nonmonotonic for higher densities. Relevant mesoscopic frequency fluctuations are briefly discussed. The results are applied to Si resonators, where doping is used to compensate the temperature dependence of a clock mode, whereas another low-frequency mode is used as a thermometer to enable temperature stabilization.