Issue 8, 2018

Rigorous analysis of Casimir and van der Waals forces on a silicon nano-optomechanical device actuated by optical forces

Abstract

Nano-optomechanical devices have enabled a lot of interesting scientific and technological applications. However, due to their nanoscale dimensions, they are vulnerable to the action of Casimir and van der Waals (dispersion) forces. This work presents a rigorous analysis of the dispersion forces on a nano-optomechanical device based on a silicon waveguide and a silicon dioxide substrate, surrounded by air and driven by optical forces. The dispersion forces are calculated using a modified Lifshitz theory with experimental optical data and validated by means of a rigorous 3D FDTD simulation. The mechanical nonlinearity of the nanowaveguide is taken into account and validated using a 3D FEM simulation. The results show that it is possible to attain a no pull-in critical point due to only the optical forces; however, the dispersion forces usually impose a pull-in critical point to the device and establish a minimal initial gap between the waveguide and the substrate. Furthermore, it is shown that the geometric nonlinearity effect may be exploited in order to avoid or minimize the pull-in and, therefore, the device collapse.

Graphical abstract: Rigorous analysis of Casimir and van der Waals forces on a silicon nano-optomechanical device actuated by optical forces

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
14 Dec. 2017
Accepted
18 Janv. 2018
First published
19 Janv. 2018

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 3945-3952

Rigorous analysis of Casimir and van der Waals forces on a silicon nano-optomechanical device actuated by optical forces

J. R. Rodrigues, A. Gusso, F. S. S. Rosa and V. R. Almeida, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 3945 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR09318G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements