Optomechanical Raman-ratio thermometry

The temperature dependence of the asymmetry between Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman scattering can be exploited for self-calibrating, optically based thermometry. In the context of cavity optomechanics, we observe the cavity-enhanced scattering of light interacting with the standing-wave drumhead modes of a Si₃N₄ membrane mechanical resonator. The ratio of the amplitude of Stokes to anti-Stokes scattered light is used to measure temperatures of optically cooled mechanical modes, down to the level of a few vibrational quanta. We demonstrate that the Raman-ratio technique allows the measurement of the physical temperature of our device over a range extending from cryogenic temperatures to within an order of magnitude of room temperature.