Page 294 - Mechanical design of microresonators _ modeling and applications

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Source: Mechanical Design of Microresonators

Chapter
6

Microcantilever and Microbridge

Systems for Mass Detection

6.1 Introduction
The emerging field of micro and nano electromechanical (MEMS and
NEMS) oscillators has fueled a renaissance in the field of resonant sen-
sors and actuators with an unending flow of producing smaller and
better electromechanical devices while providing a closely coupled link
between the physical, chemical, and biological worlds. These systems
have gained a wide theoretical interest and practical application in the
field of sensors and actuators and have recently been adopted in valu-
able analytic instruments. In contrast to their macro counterparts such
as quartz-crystal balances, surface-acoustic waves (SAWs), or flexural
plates, they perform with increased functionality and complexity for
various chemical and biological sensing applications. At the root of
excitement in nanotechnology, compact electromechanical sensing de-
vices offer a significant increase in analysis speed while suppressing
the consumption of both samples and reagents. Furthermore, they can
be used for a variety of different sensing purposes and offer unique
possibilities by extending the dynamic range and ultimate sensitivity
several orders of magnitude above those of their macro counterparts
including conventional quartz-crystal oscillators. To perform their
specialized functions, resonant sensors and actuators must reliably
store and convert different forms of energy, transduce signals, and
respond repeatably to external chemical and biological environments.

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