Work

Optical bistability with a repulsive optical force in coupled silicon photonic crystal membranes

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: We demonstrate actuation of a silicon photonic crystal membrane with a repulsive optical gradient force. The extent of the static actuation is extracted by examining the optical bistability as a combination of the optomechanical, thermo-optic, and photo-thermo-mechanical effects using coupled-mode theory. Device behavior is dominated by a repulsive optical force which results in displacements of ≈1 nm/mW. By employing an extended guided resonance which effectively eliminates multi-photon thermal and electronic nonlinearities, our silicon-based device provides a simple, non-intrusive solution to extending the actuation range of micro-electromechanical devices.

Source: Applied Physics Letters

DOI: 10.1063/1.4813121

Authors: Pui-Chuen Hui, David Woolf, Eiji Iwase, Young-Ik Sohn, Daniel Ramos, Mughees Khan, Alejandro W. Rodriguez, Steven G. Johnson, Federico Capasso, Marko Loncar

Institutions: Harvard University, Waseda University, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Language: English

Topic: Mechanical and Optical Resonators

Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2114094033

FWCI: 0.964

Cites: 23

Cited by: 19

Related to: 10