A force sensor based on three weakly coupled resonators with ultrahigh sensitivity

[en] A proof-of-concept force sensor based on three degree-of-freedom (DoF) weakly coupled resonatorswas fabricated using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process and electrically tested in 20 Torr vacuum.Compared to the conventional single resonator force sensor with frequency shift as output, by measuringthe amplitude ratio of two of the three resonators, the measured force sensitivity of the 3DoF sensor was4.9 × 106/N, which was improved by two orders magnitude. A bias stiffness perturbation was applied toavoid mode aliasing effect and improve the linearity of the sensor. The noise floor of the amplitude ratiooutput of the sensor was theoretically analyzed for the first time, using the transfer function model ofthe 3DoF weakly coupled resonator system. It was shown based on measurement results that the outputnoise was mainly due to the thermal–electrical noise of the interface electronics. The output noise spectraldensity was measured, and agreed well with theoretical estimations. The noise floor of the force sensoroutput was estimated to be approximately 1.39nN for an assumed 10 Hz bandwidth of the output signal,resulting in a dynamic range of 74.8 dB.

Disciplines :

Electrical & electronics engineering

Author, co-author :

Zhao, Chun

Wood, Graham

Xie, J.B.

Chang, Honglong

Pu, Suan

Kraft, Michael ; Université de Liège > Dép. d'électric., électron. et informat. (Inst.Montefiore) > Systèmes microélectroniques intégrés

Language :

English

Title :

A force sensor based on three weakly coupled resonators with ultrahigh sensitivity

Publication date :

01 August 2015

Journal title :

Sensors and Actuators. A, Physical

ISSN :

0924-4247

eISSN :

1873-3069

Publisher :

Elsevier Science, Lausanne, Switzerland

Volume :

232

Pages :

151-162

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 14 July 2015

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