We have used two types of thermometry to study thermal fluctuations in a microcantilever-based system below 1 K. We measured the temperature of a cantilever's macroscopic degree-of-freedom (via the Brownian motion of its lowest flexural mode) and its microscopic degrees-of-freedom (via the electron temperature of a metal sample mounted on the cantilever). We also measured both temperatures' response to a localized heat source. We find it possible to maintain thermal equilibrium between these two temperatures and a refrigerator down to at least 300 mK. These results are promising for ongoing experiments to probe quantum effects using micromechanical devices.
@article{arxiv.0708.2878,
title = {Noise thermometry and electron thermometry of a sample-on-cantilever system below 1 Kelvin},
author = {A. C. Bleszynski Jayich and W. E. Shanks and J. G. E. Harris},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0708.2878},
year = {2009}
}