Real-Time Sensing with Multiplexed Optomechanical Resonators

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nanoelectromechanical resonators offer high resolution but suffer from small capture areas, leading to long analysis times and large sample requirements.
• Electrical transduction efficiency decreases with frequency, limiting bandwidth and throughput in silicon resonators.
• Multiplexing high-frequency resonators is challenging with electrical methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address limitations in nanoelectromechanical resonator sensing by proposing a novel multiplexing scheme.
• To enable high-frequency optomechanical resonator multiplexing for enhanced sensing capabilities.
• To demonstrate a scalable fabrication and readout process for multiplexed optomechanical sensors.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of three silicon microdisk optomechanical resonators using a 200 mm wafer-scale process.
• Implementation of a multiplexing scheme for simultaneous frequency measurement.
• Development of a simple readout architecture compatible with high-frequency operation.

Main Results:

• Successful simultaneous frequency measurement of three silicon microdisk resonators.
• Demonstration of a multiplexing scheme for very high-frequency optomechanical resonators.
• Validation of a simple readout architecture that preserves sensing resolution.

Conclusions:

• The proposed optomechanical resonator multiplexing scheme overcomes limitations of traditional nanoelectromechanical systems.
• This approach enables multiparametric analysis with extremely low limits of detection and response times.
• The scalable fabrication process paves the way for advanced, high-throughput sensing applications.