An Integrated Platform for Cavity Optomechanics with Vacuum-Sealed Silicon Photonic MEMS

Silicon photonics is an excellent platform for integrated cavity optomechanics due to silicon's high light confinement and favorable mechanical properties. However, optomechanical devices require a vacuum environment to inhibit damping due to air.We present an integrated platform for cavity optomechanics using thermo-compression bonding of silicon caps to provide on-chip vacuum sealing. We demonstrate optomechanical coupling in a vacuum-sealed ring resonator implemented on the platform, either by modulation of the laser power or by using an electrostatic phase shifter in the ring.By enabling optomechanics on a standard platform, we aim to make the technology available to a wider user base.