%0 Journal Article
%T An ultrahigh sensitivity, high resolution, aerostatic pressure sensor using microbubble resonators
%A Yong Yang
%A Sunny Saurabh
%A Jonathan M Ward
%A S¨Ēle Nic Chormaic
%J Physics
%D 2015
%I arXiv
%X Sensors based on whispering gallery resonators can push achievable sensitivities and resolutions to their limits, while maintaining minute footprints. Here, we report on the fabrication of a microbubble resonator using two CO$_2$ beams focused on a microcapillary; the resulting microbubble has an ultrathin wall. We show that, even when the wall is as thin as 500 nm, an intrinsic quality factor of $10^7$ is achievable at the telecommunications C-band. Considering strain and stress of the material, we investigate the feasibility of using the microbubble as an aerostatic pressure sensor. The measured sensitivity is 19 GHz/bar and is at the limit of current techniques. We have found that the sensitivity can be improved to 38 GHz/bar at the 780 nm wavelength range, where the resolution for pressure sensing is 0.14 mbar and the Q-factor remains higher than $10^7$.
%U http://arxiv.org/abs/1506.01457v1