Tunable nonlinear damping in MoS₂ nanoresonator

Nonlinear damping plays a significant role in several areas of physics, including the dynamics of nanoresonators. However, many aspects remain unclear, and the microscopic source of nonlinear damping is still an active area of research. In particular, the effect of mode coupling on the observed damping has drawn significant interest. Here, we report on the effect of mode coupling on nonlinear damping in a highly tunable MoS2 nano-mechanical drum resonator. In our experiments, we observe enhanced nonlinear damping in the parameter space that favors internal resonance. We observe this enhanced damping both in the direct drive and the parametric drive measurements. The study presents a comprehensive characterization of the tunable nonlinear damping of a MoS2 resonator in a parametric regime. Our work marks a significant advancement in understanding the potential sources of nonlinear damping. Moreover, a highly tunable 2D material based nanoresonator offers an excellent platform to study nonlinear physics and exploit tunable nonlinear damping.