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 jan 2018
First published
19 jan 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

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