arXiv · 2508.01066
Cryogenic rf-to-microwave transducer based on a dc-biased electromechanical system
Abstract
We report a two-stage, heterodyne rf-to-microwave transducer that combines a tunable electrostatic pre-amplifier with a superconducting electromechanical cavity. A metalized Si$_3$N$_4$ membrane (3 MHz frequency) forms the movable plate of a vacuum-gap capacitor in a microwave LC resonator. A dc bias across the gap converts any small rf signal into a resonant electrostatic force proportional to the bias, providing a voltage-controlled gain that multiplies the cavity's intrinsic electromechanical gain. In a flip-chip device with a 1.5 $\mathrm{\mu}$m gap operated at 10 mK we observe dc-tunable anti-spring shifts, and rf-to-microwave transduction at 49 V bias, achieving a charge sensitivity of 87 $\mathrm{\mu}$e/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ (0.9 nV/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$). Extrapolation to sub-micron gaps and state-of-the-art $Q>10^8$ membrane resonators predicts sub-200 fV/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ sensitivity, establishing dc-biased electromechanics as a practical route towards quantum-grade rf electrometers and low-noise modular heterodyne links for superconducting microwave circuits and charge or voltage sensing.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
Himanshu Patange, Kyrylo Gerashchenko, Rémi Rousseau, Paul Manset, Léo Balembois, Thibault Capelle, Samuel Deléglise, Thibaut Jacqmin. 2025-08-01. Cryogenic rf-to-microwave transducer based on a dc-biased electromechanical system. https://doi.org/10.5802/crphys.273
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.