Accurate, precise pressure sensing with tethered optomechanics

Abstract

We show that optomechanical systems can be primary pressure sensors with uncertainty as low as 1.1 % of reading via comparison with a pressure transfer standard. Our silicon nitride and silicon carbide sensors are short-term and long-term stable, displaying Allan deviations compatible with better than 1 % precision and baseline drift significantly lower than the transfer standard. We also investigate the performance of optomechanical devices as calibrated gauges, finding that they can achieve total uncertainty less than 1 %. The calibration procedure also yields the thin-film density of our sensors with state-of-the-art precision, aiding development of other calibration-free optomechanical sensors. Our results demonstrate that optomechanical pressure sensors can achieve accuracy, precision, and drift sufficient to replace high performance legacy gauges.