Engineering Commons^™

Geometrical Considerations For The Design Of Liquid-Phase Biochemical Sensors Using A Cantilever's Fundamental In-Plane Mode, L. A. Beardslee, Fabien Josse, Stephen M. Heinrich, I. Dufour, O. Brand

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The influence of the beam geometry on the quality factor and resonance frequency of resonant silicon cantilever beams vibrating in their fundamental in-plane flexural mode in water has been investigated. Compared to cantilevers vibrating in their first out-of-plane flexural mode, utilizing the in-plane mode results in reduced damping and reduced mass loading by the surrounding fluid. Quality factors as high as 86 have been measured in water for cantilevers with a 20 μm thick silicon layer. Based on the experimental data, design guidelines are established for beam dimensions that ensure maximal Q-factors and minimal mass loading by the surrounding …