Accurate Mass Measurement of a Levitated Nanomechanical Resonator for Precision Force-Sensing

Accurate Mass Measurement of a Levitated Nanomechanical Resonator for Precision Force-Sensing

WoS Article

Nanomechanical resonators are widely operated as force and mass sensors with sensitivities in the zepto-Newton (10−21) and yocto-gram (10−24) regime, respectively. Their accuracy, however, is usually undermined by high uncertainties in the effective mass of the system, whose estimation is a nontrivial task. This critical issue can be addressed in levitodynamics, where the nanoresonator typically consists of a single silica nanoparticle of well-defined mass. Yet, current methods assess the mass of the levitated nanoparticles with uncertainties up to a few tens of percent, therefore preventing to achieve unprecedented sensing performances. Here, we present a novel measurement protocol that uses the electric field from a surrounding plate capacitor to directly drive a charged optically levitated particle in moderate vacuum. The developed technique estimates the mass within a statistical error below 1% and a systematic error of ∼2%, and paves the way toward more reliable sensing and metrology applications of levitodynamics systems.

Nanomechanical resonators are widely operated as force and mass sensors with sensitivities in the zepto-Newton (10−21) and yocto-gram (10−24) regime, respectively. Their accuracy, however, is usually undermined by high uncertainties in the effective mass of the system, whose estimation is a nontrivial task. This critical issue can be addressed in levitodynamics, where the nanoresonator typically consists of a single silica nanoparticle of well-defined mass. Yet, current methods assess the mass of the levitated nanoparticles with uncertainties up to a few tens of percent, therefore preventing to achieve unprecedented sensing performances. Here, we present a novel measurement protocol that uses the electric field from a surrounding plate capacitor to directly drive a charged optically levitated particle in moderate vacuum. The developed technique estimates the mass within a statistical error below 1% and a systematic error of ∼2%, and paves the way toward more reliable sensing and metrology applications of levitodynamics systems.

mechanical resonators, optical levitodynamics, levitation optomechanics, force sensing, vacuum

mechanical resonators, optical levitodynamics, levitation optomechanics, force sensing, vacuum

RICCI, F.; CUAIRAN, M.T.; CONANGLA, G.P.; SCHELL, A.W.; QUIDANT, R.

2020

01.10.2019

1530-6992

NANO LETTERS

19

10

United States of America

6711

6715

5

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.nanolett.9b00082