Accurate, precise pressure sensing with tethered optomechanics

• Main Authors: Green, Olivia R, Bao, Yiliang, Lawall, John R, Gorman, Jason J, Barker, Daniel S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 30.08.2024
• Subjects: Physics - Applied Physics; Physics - Instrumentation and Detectors
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2409.00256

We show that optomechanical systems can be primary pressure sensors with uncertainty as low as 1.1 % of reading via comparison with a pressure transfer standard. Our silicon nitride and silicon carbide sensors are short-term and long-term stable, displaying Allan deviations compatible with better than 1 % precision and baseline drift significantly lower than the transfer standard. We also investigate the performance of optomechanical devices as calibrated gauges, finding that they can achieve total uncertainty less than 1 %. The calibration procedure also yields the thin-film density of our sensors with state-of-the-art precision, aiding development of other calibration-free optomechanical sensors. Our results demonstrate that optomechanical pressure sensors can achieve accuracy, precision, and drift sufficient to replace high performance legacy gauges.