A Non-linear Resonator for Sensing Applications

Conference item

Their small mass means that the resonant frequency of Microelectromechanical (MEMs) resonators is sensitive to the absorption of a small additional mass onto their surface. Any change in resonant frequency caused by this additional mass can be detected by monitoring the amplitude or phase of a resonators response at a specific frequency. This means that the very sudden change in the amplitude and phase of a Duffing resonator at two critical frequencies is a phenomenon that could be exploited in this type of sensor. In this paper results are presented which show that a MEMs resonator can be made to act as a Duffing resonator using electronic feedback. The result is the basis for a new method of increasing the sensitivity of resonant sensors operating in air.

Authors: Deng, C; Turnbull, R; Anthony, C; Ward, M; Collins, S

• Publication status: Published
• Host title: EUROSENSORS XXIV CONFERENCE
• Volume: 5
• Pages: 1486-1489
• Publication date: 2010-01-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.proeng.2010.09.398
• EISSN: 1877-7058
• ISSN: 1877-7058
• Keywords: Feedback; Duffing resonator; Sensor; MEMS