Quantitative measurement of radiation pressure on a microcantilever in ambient environment
- Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)
Light reflected off a material or absorbed within it exerts radiation pressure through the transfer of momentum. Micro/nano-mechanical transducers have become sensitive enough that radiation pressure can influence these systems. However, photothermal effects often accompany and overwhelm the radiation pressure, complicating its measurement. In this letter, we investigate the radiation force on an uncoated silicon nitride microcantilever in ambient conditions. We identify and separate the radiation pressure and photothermal forces through an analysis of the cantilever's frequency response. Further, by working in a regime where radiation pressure is dominant, we are able to accurately measure the radiation pressure. Experimental results are compared to theory and found to agree within the measured and calculated uncertainties.
- OSTI ID:
- 22412742
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 9; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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