Nonlinear low-to-high-frequency energy cascades in diatomic granular crystals.

We study wave propagation in strongly nonlinear one-dimensional diatomic granular crystals under an impact load. Depending on the mass ratio of the "light" to "heavy" beads, this system exhibits rich wave dynamics from highly localized traveling waves to highly dispersive waves featuring strong attenuation. We demonstrate experimentally the nonlinear resonant and antiresonant interactions of particles, and we verify that the nonlinear resonance results in strong wave attenuation, leading to highly efficient nonlinear energy cascading without relying on material damping. In this process, mechanical energy is transferred from low to high frequencies, while propagating waves emerge in both ordered and chaotic waveforms via a distinctive spatial cascading. This energy transfer mechanism from lower to higher frequencies and wave numbers is of particular significance toward the design of novel nonlinear acoustic metamaterials with inherently passive energy redistribution properties.