New insights into enhancing microcantilever MEMS sensors

Abstract

Damping effects on different geometries were investigated by testing them in air at different pressure levels, ranging from the atmospheric pressure of 105 Pa to 10-2 Pa. The resulting responses of these geometries followed the same trend as the analytical plot for the rectangular shape structure. As the relative resonant frequency of the structure is proportional to the intrinsic resonant frequency, measured at the lowest pressure levels achieved by the AFM system, different shapes showed different amount of responses as a function of pressure. As the intrinsic resonant frequency of the triangular shape was the highest, its relative resonant frequency was the highest; the modified geometry showed intermediate responses among the three geometries.