Like a candle in the wind: flicker noise in nano-optomechanical systems

就像风中的蜡烛：纳米光机械系统中的闪烁噪声

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05978
• 负责人: Hiebert, Wayne
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=762490
• 关键词: Like; candle; wind; flicker; noise

The frequency stability level of mechanical systems, including nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and nano-optomechanical systems (NOMS), is of paramount importance to their performance, both as ultrasensitive sensors, and as reference oscillators. Recent work in our field has shown that this performance is almost never limited by the fundamental noise source of thermomechanical noise, as one would desire, but rather is almost always limited by frequency flicker noise. A recent breakthrough [Roy, Sauer, Westwood-Bachman, Venkatasubramanian, Hiebert (2018) Science 360, eaar5220] established the surprising result that precision mechanical resonator performance can be maintained and even improved by reducing quality factor (increasing damping). The improvement in frequency stability with damping seems to be related to suppression of this ubiquitous flicker noise through the thermal conduction of surrounding (damping) air. Following on from this breakthrough work, we seek to explore the realm of flicker noise contribution to NEMS and NOMS frequency stability. Using tuning knobs of: air damping, device dimension, device temperature coefficient (tunable through internal stress), optomechanical spring tuning, optomechanical coupling, and temperature, we will thoroughly explore and understand the source of flicker noise in NOMS devices, identifying which of two competing models explain the noise throughout this parameter space. Once well-understood, we will design devices to minimize and eliminate this noise in order to reach the fundamental noise level, and ultimate frequency stability limit, of NOMS systems. Combining air damping and its flicker mitigation channel with high-finesse optomechanics will allow self-oscillation of NOMS devices even in highly-damped conditions. Ultimate limit frequency stability in such NOMS oscillators that operate in ambient air will ultimately lead to profound advancements in sensor technology, such as single-Da mass spectrometry in air.

机械系统，包括纳机电系统（NEMS）和纳米光机系统（NOMS）的频率稳定性水平，是其性能至关重要的，无论是作为超灵敏度传感器，并作为参考振荡器。在我们的领域的最近的工作表明，这种性能几乎从来没有限制的热机械噪声的基本噪声源，因为人们会希望，而是几乎总是由频率闪烁噪声的限制。最近的一项突破[Roy，Sauer，Westwood-Bachman，Venkatasubramanian，Hiebert（2018）Science 360，eaar 5220]确立了令人惊讶的结果，即可以通过降低品质因数（增加阻尼）来保持甚至提高精密机械谐振器的性能。频率稳定性的改善与阻尼似乎与抑制这种无处不在的闪烁噪声通过周围（阻尼）空气的热传导。从这一突破性的工作，我们寻求探索闪烁噪声的NEMS和NOMS频率稳定性的贡献领域。使用以下调谐旋钮：空气阻尼、器件尺寸、器件温度系数（通过内应力可调）、光机弹簧调谐、光机耦合和温度，我们将彻底探索和理解NOMS器件中闪烁噪声的来源，确定两个竞争模型中的哪一个解释了整个参数空间中的噪声。一旦充分理解，我们将设计设备，以尽量减少和消除这种噪声，以达到基本的噪声水平，和最终的频率稳定性限制，NOMS系统。将空气阻尼及其闪烁缓解通道与高精细度光学机械相结合，将允许NOMS器件即使在高阻尼条件下也能自振荡。这种在环境空气中工作的NOMS振荡器的极限频率稳定性将最终导致传感器技术的深刻进步，例如空气中的单Da质谱。