Motion transduction in nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) arrays using near-field optomechanical coupling

Development of efficient and sensitive motion transducers for arrays of nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) is important for fundamental research as well as for technological applications. Here, we report a single-wire nanomechanical transducer interface, which relies upon near-field optomechanical interactions. This multiplexed transducer interface comes in the form of a single-mode fiber taper on a fiber-optic cable. When the fiber taper is positioned sufficiently close to the NEMS array such that it can attain evanescent optical coupling with the array, individual NEMS resonances can be actuated using optical dipole forces. In addition, sensitive detection of nanomechanical motion can be realized when the evanescent waves confined around the taper are scattered by the motion. We have measured resonances from an array of 63 NEMS resonators with a displacement sensitivity of 2-8 pm·Hz(-1/2) at a detection power of ~100 μW (incident on the entire array).