Chip-Scale Cavity Optomechanics for Precision Sensing: Science and Education

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Recent advances in nanofabrication and precision measurements in cavity optomechanics have afforded remarkable new boundaries in quantum mechanical ground state preparation, optomechanical radio frequency clocks and oscillators, and precision sensing of motion and forces. Motion acceleration sensing is a critical platform for seismic geophones monitoring with applications in structural health monitoring, borehole and seismic underground imaging, inertia navigation, as well as sensors in consumer electronics. Through optical driving and readout, recent efforts in optomechanics have demonstrated remarkable nanomechanical motion and force detection at and below the standard quantum limits, supporting potential breakthroughs in sensing platforms. This award supports next-generation chip-scale accelerometers through optomechanical readout with unprecedented sensitivities, at 100× to 1000× better sensitivities than state-of-the-art commercial accelerometers. This provides new platforms in structural health monitoring, borehole and seismic underground imaging, and inertia navigation. This program outreaches to targeted underrepresented communities, delivering teaching modules to K-12 students and the high-school science curriculum, while developing a new hands-on laboratory course on mesoscale sensing and sensors to train the undergraduates and graduates on next-generation motional and force detection. In this award we will examine chip-scale cavity optomechanics for acceleration sensing, towards the DC and ultralow-frequency regime and in an integrated chip-scale field modules for precision sensing. Our efforts are described in three integrated Thrusts: (I) Advancements of the chip-scale optomechanical accelerometers through RF readout, including state-of-the-art optomechanical transduction and sensing; (II) Precision measurements in the oscillation regime with DC external acceleration perturbations, including fundamental noise limits; and (III) Integrated precision accelerometer chipsets including detection integration and dynamic range considerations. The project's efforts are realized in integrated chip-scale CMOS modules while offering unprecedented sensitivities and in the DC measurement regime, each supported by our preliminary measurements. The three research Thrusts are integrated with an educational Thrust (IV) focusing primarily on outreach to K-12 students through the Double Discovery Center for first-generation college-bound youth, developing a high-school science curriculum on modern sensors for the Harlem and lower Bronx community, and a new "hands-on" undergraduate and graduate Sensors laboratory.