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Influence of cross-sectional geometry on the sensitivity and hysteresis of liquid-phase electronic pressure sensors Appl.A micromachined pressure sensor based on an array of microswitches Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 055103 (2010);Enhanced hysteresis effects are seen in the resonant behavior of a magnetically actuated oscillating microcantilever at large deflections. These effects, which are produced by resonant mode coupling, take the form of abrupt changes in the amplitude of oscillation. These changes in amplitude and the actuating frequencies at which they occur depend on whether the actuating frequency is being increased or decreased. We have fabricated a microcantilever in which this phenomenon is strongly affected by the damping produced by the pressure of ambient gas. We have investigated this device for use as a pressure sensor in air from 10 Ϫ3 to 10 2 Torr.

The resonance characteristics of an oscillating microcantilever are modified due to the changing damping effects as the ambient air pressure varies, and the device is used as an absolute pressure sensor. Three variations of the microcantilever device were designed, fabricated, and tested for changes in resonant frequency, quality factor, amplitude of oscillation, and actuating current required to maintain the amplitude of oscillation constant as the ambient pressure was varied from 15 to 1450 Torr. The device has been analyzed and a relationship has been derived to aid in the prediction of device behavior. Values for precision comparable to commercial pressure sensors are also presented for each method of detection.

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