Fabrication and testing of microfluidic optomechanical oscillators

Area of Science:

• Optomechanics
• Microfluidics
• Acoustic Metamaterials

Background:

• Cavity optomechanics couples phonon and photon modes in microresonators.
• Liquid immersion typically increases acoustic losses, limiting optomechanical experiments to solid-phase systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce and characterize a novel hollow microfluidic optomechanical resonator.
• Demonstrate the feasibility of liquid-based cavity optomechanics with high-Q factors.
• Investigate parametric vibrations in liquid-filled microresonators.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of ultra-high-Q microfluidic resonators.
• Optomechanical testing and characterization of the resonators.
• Measurement of radiation pressure-driven and SBS-driven parametric vibrations.

Main Results:

• Simultaneous maintenance of high mechanical and optical quality factors by confining liquids within the capillary resonator.
• Successful demonstration of parametric vibrations in a liquid-filled optomechanical system.
• Fabrication methodology for ultra-high-Q microfluidic resonators detailed.

Conclusions:

• The hollow microfluidic optomechanical resonator is a viable platform for liquid-based cavity optomechanics.
• This design effectively mitigates acoustic losses, enabling high-Q factor operation in liquid.
• Opens new avenues for optomechanical sensing and manipulation in liquid environments.