Cantilever transducers as a platform for chemical and biological sensors

TLDR

Since the late 1980s, MEMS advances have enabled mechanical transduction, leading to a family of chemical and biological sensors, with simple cantilever configurations being particularly attractive. The article examines cantilever-based transducers for chemical and biological sensing. The review outlines cantilever transducer operation principles, fabrication, performance metrics, and applications, while also tracing their historical development.

Abstract

Since the late 1980s there have been spectacular developments in micromechanical or microelectro-mechanical (MEMS) systems which have enabled the exploration of transduction modes that involve mechanical energy and are based primarily on mechanical phenomena. As a result an innovative family of chemical and biological sensors has emerged. In this article, we discuss sensors with transducers in a form of cantilevers. While MEMS represents a diverse family of designs, devices with simple cantilever configurations are especially attractive as transducers for chemical and biological sensors. The review deals with four important aspects of cantilever transducers: (i) operation principles and models; (ii) microfabrication; (iii) figures of merit; and (iv) applications of cantilever sensors. We also provide a brief analysis of historical predecessors of the modern cantilever sensors.