Real-time ultrafast optical interferometry of NEMS operating in fluidic environment

Interactions of NEMS with fluids are of interest both in determining the NEMS performance outside of vacuum, and in elucidation of fluid dynamics at these small scales. We present a comprehensive study of nanomechanical damping in three gases (He, N2, CO2), and liquid CO2. Resonant dynamics in multiple devices of varying size and frequency (10-400 MHz) is measured over 10 decades of pressure (1 mPa-20 MPa). We find a fluid relaxation time model to be valid throughout, but not beyond, the non-Newtonian regime (up to several atmospheres), and classical vibrating spheres model to be valid in the viscous limit.

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