Self-Sensing Quartz-Crystal Cantilever for Nanometric Sensing

Abstract

A self-sensing cantilever of AT-cut quartz plate was developed to achieve a high sensitivity under various environments at room temperature. The cantilevers fabricated by deep reactive ion etching with metal electrodes at the both sides have the thicknesses of 20 mum. The external force at shear- vibration direction induces the resonant frequency changes at thickness-shear vibration mode. The frequency modulation (FM) detection of thickness-shear vibration was demonstrated and the sensitivity and noise lever were investigated.