| AVS 58th Annual International Symposium and Exhibition | |
| MEMS and NEMS Group | Thursday Sessions |
| Session MN-ThA |
| Session: | Multi-scale Interactions of Materials and Fabrication at the Micro- and Nano-scale |
| Presenter: | Wayne Hiebert, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada |
| Authors: | W.K. Hiebert, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada Z. Diao, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada J.N. Westwood, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada V.T.K. Sauer, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada M.R. Freeman, National Institute for Nanotechnology (NRC Canada) and University of Alberta, Canada |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) have exquisite potential in fields ranging from quantum measurement to ultrasensitive mass sensing. Signal transduction has remained an important challenge for NEMS where applications demand fast, parallel, sensitive, and low-noise drive and detection of motion in ever smaller and faster devices. The burgeoning field of nanooptomechanical systems (NOMS) has offered a promising solution to this challenge in the form of unprecedented displacement sensitivity with almost unlimited bandwidth. Nanophotonic circuits provide strong local concentration of optical forces and optical phase changes interacting with embedded NEMS devices. The combination is fully integratable with modern opto-electronic and semiconductor technology paving the way to large-scale-integrated lab-on-a-chip NEMS sensing arrays.
We will present our preliminary efforts in building an integrated NOMS platform for molecular sensing and for magnetometry applications. The results include a novel measurement geometry that allows accessing nanophotonic NOMS chips in vacuum via free-space focusing onto grating couplers. The external-to-vacuum optics arrangement gives independent control over the position and input/output angles of both the input and output laser beams. This geometry allows us to directly compare photonic readout of NEMS motions with conventional free-space Fabry-Perot interferometry. Finally, we will update our progress in 3D integration of NEMS and photonics.