Publications Details

Piezoelectric Nano-Optomechanical Systems

Douglas, James K.; Eichenfield, Matthew S.

Lithium niobate, due to its material properties, is often used for optical waveguides, optical modulators, and other linear and nonlinear optical applications. In this research, we present monolithically integrated microdisk resonators with an integrated ground plane fabricated from a commercially purchased lithium niobate on insulator wafer. Using this architecture, we demonstrate excitation of a 167MHz mechanical resonance as well as electro-optic modulation of a 1.93THz optical mode in a free-standing whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator. By hovering a signal probe above the disk while grounding the device using the integrated ground plane, an electric field can be applied across the device which both induces an electro-optic effect as well as drives mechanical motion via the piezoelectric effect. Detection of the mechanical mode and electro-optic shift was performed by coupling to the high quality factor (Q = 454,000) optical modes of the microresonator using a tapered optical fiber.