Nano-optomechanical Resonators for Sensitive Pressure Sensing

Nanomechanical sensors made from suspended graphene are sensitive to pressure changes. However, these devices typically function by obtaining an electrical signal based on the static displacement of a suspended graphene membrane and so, in practice, have limited sensitivity and operational range. The present work demonstrates an optomechanical Au/graphene membrane-based gas pressure sensor with ultrahigh sensitivity. This sensor comprises a suspended Au/graphene membrane appended to a section of hollow-core fiber to form a sealed Fabry-Pérot cavity. In contrast to conventional nanomechanical pressure sensors, pressure changes are monitored via resonant sensing with an optical readout. A miniature pressure sensor based on this principle was able to detect an ultrasmall pressure difference of 1 × 10^-7 mbar in the ultrahigh-vacuum region with a pressure range of 4.1 × 10^-5 to 8.3 × 10^-6 mbar. Furthermore, this pressure sensor can work over an extended pressure range of 7 × 10^-6 mbar to 1000 mbar at room temperature, outperforming commercial pressure sensors. Similar results were obtained using both the fundamental and higher-order resonant frequencies but with the latter providing improved sensitivity. This sensor has a wide range of potential applications, including indoor navigation, altitude monitoring, and motion detection.