title: Multiplexed optical operation of distributed nanoelectromechanical systems arrays.
abstract: We report a versatile all optical technique to excite and read-out a distributed nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) array. The NEMS array is driven by a distributed, intensity modulated optical pump through the photothermal effect. The ensuing vibrational response of the array is multiplexed onto a single probe beam in the form of a high frequency phase modulation. The phase modulation is optically down converted to a low frequency intensity modulation using an adaptive full-field interferometer, and subsequently detected using a CCD array. Rapid and single step mechanical characterization of ∼44 nominally identical high-frequency resonators is demonstrated. The technique may enable sensitivity improvements over single NEMS resonators by averaging signals coming from a multitude of devices in the array. In addition, the diffraction limited spatial resolution may allow for position-dependent read-out of NEMS sensor chips for sensing multiple analytes or spatially inhomogeneous forces.
authors.affiliation: Mechanical Engineering Department and the Photonics Center, Boston University , Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sampathkumar
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Ekinci
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Murray