Coherent Mephisto 1 W / 1064 nm option
Reference illumination candidate
Manufacturer lists 0.5, 1 and 2 W options at 1064 nm.
Specify low-frequency power drift, warmup, external attenuation, enclosure and beam geometry. Narrow linewidth alone does not qualify force measurement.
Price status: Quote required; no current public price verified.
Thorlabs S405C thermal sensor + compatible console
Intercepted-power calibration candidate
Manufacturer family page lists S405C: 0.19–20 micrometers, 100 microwatts–5 W, 10 mm aperture.
Confirm exact current sensor/console compatibility, calibration uncertainty at 1064 nm, beam interception and thermal response. Its power range does not establish our uncertainty target.
Price status: Quote required; current price and supply status not verified.
Newport isolated optical platform
Isolation candidate
Manufacturer selection guide covers isolated platforms.
Size only after chamber footprint and total load are frozen. Specify ambient floor spectrum; table damping alone does not reject building tilt.
Price status: Quote required for dimensions, load and measured isolation requirements.
Edwards nEXT85-based dry pumping system
Pressure-control candidate
Manufacturer technical tables list nEXT85 and recommended backing-pump options including nXDS6i.
Chamber conductance, leaks, gauges, materials and outgassing determine pressure. Pump speed is not a pressure specification. Mechanically decouple pumping vibration.
Price status: Quote required for a complete compatible system.
Zurich Instruments MFLI
Optional modulation and transfer-function instrument
Manufacturer lists DC–500 kHz base bandwidth and a 5 MHz upgrade.
Do not buy the upgrade for a slow torsion experiment without a demonstrated need. Retain raw time records; lock-in magnitude alone cannot establish force sign or reject coherent heat artifacts.
Price status: CHF 6,290 displayed on the Swiss regional page; ex-works Zurich, region-specific. Observed 20 October 2026. Not a US delivered quote and not converted into the USD budget.
An owned-system planning envelope
The following USD allowances are our scoping estimates, not verified component prices or supplier quotations. They assume a new owned apparatus and paid custom engineering rather than borrowed equipment or free laboratory access. The 25% reserve is a planning choice, not a statistical confidence interval. Obtain comparable written scope-based quotes before accepting this envelope.
| Scope | Low allowance / USD | High allowance / USD |
|---|---|---|
| External laser, control and attenuation | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Optical power metrology, optics and position readout | $8,000 | $18,000 |
| Custom balance, suspension and electrostatic calibration | $8,000 | $20,000 |
| Vacuum chamber, dry pumping, gauges and feedthroughs | $15,000 | $35,000 |
| Isolation table, environmental shielding and fixtures | $8,000 | $18,000 |
| Acquisition, electronics and optional lock-in | $6,000 | $15,000 |
| Temperature instrumentation and matched-heater controls | $3,000 | $8,000 |
| Beam enclosure, interlocks and commissioning protection | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| Engineering, calibration and independent review services | $15,000 | $40,000 |
| Subtotal | $77,000 | $189,000 |
| Including 25% planning reserve | $96,250 | $236,250 |
What the envelope excludes
Facility lease/build-out, staff salaries, taxes, freight/import duties, operating utilities, graphene fabrication and mid-IR upgrade, legal/IP costs, repeated redesign and flight hardware. Avoid double-counting electronics already supplied in a selected instrument.
The first spending decision
Commission the specification and independent design review before authorizing equipment. The nine allowances above describe a possible complete measurement setup; they are not a recommendation to buy everything now. Drop the optional lock-in if raw acquisition and analysis meet the measured transfer-function requirement. Request the base configuration before any frequency or software upgrades.
What every quotation must answer
Ask for exact part numbers and options, calibration certificate and uncertainty, interfaces, supplied accessories, lead time, freight, warranty, installation requirements and service. Give vendors the same requirements: 1064 nm operating point, 1 W intercepted beam, declared force/readout range, chamber/load geometry and environmental measurements. Request low-frequency drift information rather than relying only on high-frequency noise specifications.