NEMSNano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) are an important new type of device with a growing range of applications: from nanoscale measurement, through many possible sensors to tests of basic quantum mechanics.
Nano-electromechanical systems (NEMS) are an important new type of device with a growing range of applications: from nanoscale measurement, through many possible sensors to tests of basic quantum mechanics. NEMS resonators will enable extremely sensitive measurements of e.g. sub-piconewton forces, femtometre displacement, attogram masses and single charge, amongst other metrology.
Our aim is the development of NEMS based nanosensors with multi-property metrology capability leading in the longer term to quantum measurement. Our novel approach is to develop two methods, including excitation, detection and sideband cooling of cantilever-style NEMS resonators.
The first of these involves near-field microwave resonator with strongly localised coupling to the mechanical resonator, allowing non-equilibrium manipulation of the coupled system. We have already demonstrated 'side-band cooling' of a mechanical resonator (analogous to laser cooling of an atom) using a near-field microwave resonator[1,2] and are developing novel pulsed techniques to exploit the measurement capabilities of this new technique.
The second method is applicable at cryogenic temperatures using a nanoSQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) [3,4] as a sensitive readout of the tiny displacement of a NEMS resonator in the high frequency regime (up to 1 GHz). NPL's development of very low-noise nanoSQUIDs using focussed ion beam techniques has enabled a good match between nanomechanical resonators and the readout system.
We are developing both top-down and bottom up nanofabricated resonators, in 1D and 2D, using a variety of materials including high stress Si3N4, carbon nanotubes and even graphene.
References
- L. Hao, J C Gallop and D. C. Cox, Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 95, p113501 (2009)
- L. Hao, S. Goniszewski, J. Chen and J. Gallop,Accepted for Applied Surface Science, (2011)
- L. Hao et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., Vol. 92 p192507 (2008)
- L. Hao et al , IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., Vol.19, no.3, p693-696 (2009)
People working on project
External Collaborators
- Norbert Klein (Imperial College, UK)
- Lesley Cohen (Imperial College, UK)
- Ed Romans (University College London, UK)
- Thomas Schurig (PTB, Germany)
- Chris Mellor (University of Nottingham, UK)
- Andrew Armour (University of Nottingham, UK)
Recent Publications
- Excitation, detection, and passive cooling of a micromechanical cantilever using near-field of a microwave resonator
L. Hao, J. C. Gallop and D. Cox
Applied Physics Letters, 95, 113501 (2009) - Measurement and noise performance of nano-superconducting-quantum-interference devices fabricated by focused ion beam
L. Hao, J. C. Macfarlane, J. C. Gallop, D. Cox, J. Beyer, D. Drung and T. Schurig
Applied Physics Letters, 92, 192507 (2008) - Focused Ion Beam NanoSQUIDs as Novel NEMS Resonator Readouts
L. Hao, J. C. Gallop, D. Cox, E. J. Romans, J. C. Macfarlane and J. Chen
IEEE Transactions On Applied Superconductivity, 19, 693-696 (2009) - Microwave excitation and readout of nano- and micron scale cantilevers
Ling Hao, Stefan Goniszewski, Jie Chen and John Gallop,
Accepted for Applied Surface Science, (2011) - Quantum Detection Applications of NanoSQUIDs fabricated by Focussed Ion Beam
L. Hao
Journal of Physics: Conference Series 286, 012013 (2011) - Noise Performance of Niobium Nano-SQUIDs in Applied Magnetic Fields NanoSQUID
Edward J. Romans, Sergei Rozhko, Laurence Young, Arnaud Blois, Ling Hao, David Cox, and John C. Gallop
Accepted for IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.,(2011)
Posters, papers and other media
- L Hao - Excitation, detection and sideband cooling of a NEMS resonator (Talk)
- L Hao - NanoSQUIDs for NEMS resonators (Talk)
- L Hao - Microwave Investigation of Graphene and Graphene Oxide Properties (Poster)
- D Cox - Fabrication of nano-mechanical resonators by FIB (Talk)