Photon force microelectromechanical system cantilever combined with a fibre optic system as a measurement technique for optomechanical studies

Abstract

Abstract In this paper we present a metrological measurement technique that is a combination of fibre optic interferometry and a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor for photon force (PF) measurement with traceability via an electromagnetic method. The main advantage of the presented method is the reference to the current balance, which is the primary mass/force metrological standard. The MEMS cantilever transduces the PF to a deflection that can be compensated with the use of the Lorentz force. This movement is measured with the use of the interferometer and does not require any mechanical calibration. Combining the MEMS current balance system with interferometry is a unique and fully metrological solution. The resolution of the proposed measurement technique is calculated to be 4 pN Hz–0.5 (2% uncertainty). The PF–MEMS used for the investigation is a cantilever with a resolution of 46 fN Hz–0.5, which was calculated from the thermomechanical noise and is far below the resolution limit of the whole system. Because the whole construction is based on a fibre optic system, it does not require any complex adjustment procedure and may work as an optomechanical reference in any metrological laboratory.