Thermo-mechanical characterization of on-chip buckled dome Fabry-Perot microcavities

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermomechanical properties and thermal tuning of on-chip buckled dome Fabry-Perot microcavities, demonstrating their potential for sensing and quantum applications through analytical modeling and experimental validation.

Contribution

It introduces a new fabrication method for curved-mirror Fabry-Perot resonators with analytical models that match experimental results, advancing on-chip cavity technology.

Findings

Mode volumes as small as ~10λ³

Finesse of ~3000 limited by reflectance

Mechanical resonance frequencies in the MHz range

Abstract

We report on the thermomechanical and thermal tuning properties of curved-mirror Fabry-Perot resonators, fabricated by the guided assembly of circular delamination buckles within a multilayer a-Si/SiO2 stack. Analytical models for temperature dependence, effective spring constants, and mechanical mode frequencies are described and shown to be in good agreement with experimental results. The cavities exhibit mode volumes as small as $\sim10\lambda^3$, reflectance-limited finesse $\sim3\times10^3$, and mechanical resonance frequencies in the MHz range. Monolithic cavity arrays of this type might be of interest for applications in sensing, cavity quantum electrodynamics, and optomechanics.