Voltage and Deflection Amplification via Double Resonance Excitation in a Cantilever Microstructure

Abstract

Cantilever electrostatically-actuated resonators show great promise in sensing and actuating applications. However, the electrostatic actuation suffers from high-voltage actuation requirements and high noise low-amplitude signal-outputs which limit its applications. Here, we introduce a mixed-frequency signal for a cantilever-based resonator that triggers its mechanical and electrical resonances simultaneously, to overcome these limitations. A single linear RLC circuit cannot completely capture the response of the resonator under double resonance excitation. Therefore, we develop a coupled mechanical and electrical mathematical linearized model at different operation frequencies and validate this model experimentally. The double-resonance excitation results in a 21 times amplification of the voltage across the resonator and 31 times amplitude amplification over classical excitation schemes. This intensive experimental study showed a great potential of double resonance excitation providing a high amplitude amplification and maintaining the linearity of the system when the parasitic capacitance is maintained low.

High-Fidelity Harmonic Generation in Optical Micro-Resonators Using BFGS Algorithm

“…The intended description for the cost function can be stated as where is the bandwidth around the target frequency. A certain target harmonic can be programmed to be maximized because the process of nonlinear wave mixing generates many new harmonics as a result of supercontinuum generation [ 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ], which arise from high stored energy. What we intended to do is to program the microcavity to concentrate the supercontinuum spectral density around the target frequency.…”

“…A computational study that is based on maximizing the harmonic generation efficiency via a nonlinear programming algorithm is lacking [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Experimental studies usually focus on finding new techniques to increase the second and the third harmonic generation efficiency and there are relatively few experimental studies that have demonstrated a minor increase in the harmonic generation or conversion efficiency via certain experimental configurations and setups [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. Some computational studies have focused on increasing the computation efficiency of harmonic generation problems rather than proving that the harmonic generation efficiency itself can actually be increased.…”

“…These include the studies mentioned in [ 6 , 7 , 8 ], which have managed to increase the efficiency of the nonlinear Finite-Difference-Time-Domain (FDTD) method by decreasing the dispersion error. The current literature of harmonic generation via nonlinear wave mixing is dominated by increasing the efficiency of the second/third harmonic generation rather than increasing the efficiency of an arbitrary harmonic [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ]. There are currently no known techniques in the literature that reported a high-efficiency in the microscale for an arbitrary harmonic generation (not necessarily the second harmonic) under monochromatic optical excitation [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , …”

Cantilever Sensors

“…From the collected papers in this special issue, several important sensing fields have been demonstrated, i.e., biosample stiffness measurements [1], surface topography and mechanical properties analysis by fast scanning and contact resonance measurements [2], viscosity–density sensing in liquid media [3], vibration monitoring in remote and harsh environments [4], low-voltage electrostatic activation of resonant cantilever devices [5], atomic force microscopy (AFM) in vacuum [6], and high-sensitive, fast-responding quartz-tuning-force AFM [7]. The rather large cantilevers considered in this special issue, with dimensions typically in the hundreds-of-micron to several-millimeter range, are manufactured using both well-established semiconductor planar-technology-based micromachining [2,3,5,6] as well as unconventional fabrication methods using emerging materials [1,4,7]. Primary physical parameters (e.g., force, acceleration, stiffness, density, and viscosity) to be sensed by quasistatic cantilever deflection [1,2,4] or its operation in a resonant mode [2,3,5,6,7] are converted into cantilever deflection and stress/strain induced in the cantilever spring.…”

“…The rather large cantilevers considered in this special issue, with dimensions typically in the hundreds-of-micron to several-millimeter range, are manufactured using both well-established semiconductor planar-technology-based micromachining [2,3,5,6] as well as unconventional fabrication methods using emerging materials [1,4,7]. Primary physical parameters (e.g., force, acceleration, stiffness, density, and viscosity) to be sensed by quasistatic cantilever deflection [1,2,4] or its operation in a resonant mode [2,3,5,6,7] are converted into cantilever deflection and stress/strain induced in the cantilever spring. Electrical output signals are then generated from these intermediate mechanical parameters by optical [4] or capacitive [5] detection of cantilever bending.…”