High-Q nested resonator in an actively stabilized optomechanical cavity

Abstract

Experiments involving micro- and nanomechanical resonators need to be carefully designed to reduce mechanical environmental noise. A small scale on-chip approach is to add an additional resonator to the system as a mechanical low-pass filter. Unfortunately, the inherent low frequency of the low-pass filter causes the system to be easily excited mechanically. Fixating the additional resonator ensures that the resonator itself can not be excited by the environment. This, however, negates the purpose of the low-pass filter. We solve this apparent paradox by applying active feedback to the resonator, thereby minimizing the motion with respect the front mirror of an optomechanical cavity. Not only does this method actively stabilize the cavity length, but it also retains the on-chip vibration isolation.