# Optomechanical characterization of silicon nitride membrane arrays

## TL;DR

This paper presents the optical and mechanical characterization of silicon nitride membrane arrays, demonstrating their potential for studying collective optomechanical phenomena with detailed measurements of their properties.

## Contribution

It introduces a method for assembling and characterizing parallel silicon nitride membrane arrays, advancing the understanding of their collective optomechanical behavior.

## Key findings

- Accurate optical property measurements of membrane arrays.
- Determination of vibrational mode frequencies and quality factors.
- Potential for exploring collective phenomena in optomechanics.

## Abstract

We report on the optical and mechanical characterization of arrays of parallel micromechanical membranes. Pairs of high-tensile stress, 100 nm-thick silicon nitride membranes are assembled parallel with each other with separations ranging from 8.5 to 200 $\mu$m. Their optical properties are accurately determined using a combination of broadband and monochromatic illuminations and the lowest vibrational mode frequencies and mechanical quality factors are determined interferometrically. The results and techniques demonstrated are promising for investigations of collective phenomena in optomechanical arrays.