Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VIMEG (Vibrating Membrane Gauge for Wide-Range Pressure Measurement)
Reporting period: 2024-02-01 to 2025-07-31
Numerous industrial and scientific processes are conducted under vacuum conditions for improved cleanliness and control. Monitoring the vacuum level is crucial to ensure consistent process results. Ionization gauges represent the state-of-the-art for measuring residual gas pressure at high and ultrahigh vacuum levels. Here we propose to establish an alternative pressure gauge based on measuring the gas friction experienced by a nanomechanical membrane resonator with ultralow intrinsic damping. This approach promises more compact, durable, and accurate gauges that cover a wider pressure range than conventional ionization gauges.
We have implemented a test station in which a vibrating membrane can be exposed to gases of varying pressure, from atmosphere to the high vacuum range. The membrane can be excited and its motion detected with an optical interferometer. We could hence measure the membrane resonance modes’ Q-factor as a function of gas pressure. We verified that it follows a robust relation in the molecular flow regime.
We furthermore designed a chip that can be integrated with a phononic membrane for readout of mechanical motion using a capacitive transducer and an electronic measurement circuit. To this end, a membrane resonator was functionalized with a metal electrode. We demonstrated that this method can measure a mechanical ringdown. We confirmed that the Q-factors determined using the optical and electronic approach agreed to within the measurement error.
We have thence developed a rudimentary prototype of an electronically readout membrane friction sensor.
We furthermore designed a chip that can be integrated with a phononic membrane for readout of mechanical motion using a capacitive transducer and an electronic measurement circuit. To this end, a membrane resonator was functionalized with a metal electrode. We demonstrated that this method can measure a mechanical ringdown. We confirmed that the Q-factors determined using the optical and electronic approach agreed to within the measurement error.
We have thence developed a rudimentary prototype of an electronically readout membrane friction sensor.
We have demonstrated measurement of a membrane mechanical ringdown with both electronic and optical means and confirmed good quantitaive agreement. This forms the basis for new sensing technologies, in which the friction acting on the membrane motion is of interest. A scientific publication and a patent application of technical aspects of this method is in preparation. A spin-out that pursues commericialization of the technology has been founded. The spin out is developing a business plan and currently seeks further funding and investment. Collaboration with major industry players is under discussion. Further research will be needed to validate stability and accuracy of such a sensing approach.