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Journal ArticleDOI

Mechanical stiffening, bistability, and bit operations in a microcantilever

11 Nov 2010-Applied Physics Letters (American Institute of Physics)-Vol. 97, Iss: 19, pp 193107
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated the nonlinear dynamics of microcantilevers and showed that at strong driving, the cantilever amplitude is bistable and suggested several applications for the bistability of the canticle.
Abstract: We investigate the nonlinear dynamics of microcantilevers. We demonstrate mechanical stiffening of the frequency response at large amplitudes, originating from the geometric nonlinearity. At strong driving the cantilever amplitude is bistable. We map the bistable regime as a function of drive frequency and amplitude, and suggest several applications for the bistable microcantilever, of which a mechanical memory is demonstrated.

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Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
27 Dec 2020-Sensors
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a comprehensive review of the rich dynamical response of a microcantilever and how it has been used for measuring the mass and rheological properties of Newtonian/non-Newtonian fluids in real time, in everdecreasing space and time scales, and with unprecedented resolution.
Abstract: A microcantilever is a suspended micro-scale beam structure supported at one end which can bend and/or vibrate when subjected to a load. Microcantilevers are one of the most fundamental miniaturized devices used in microelectromechanical systems and are ubiquitous in sensing, imaging, time reference, and biological/ biomedical applications. They are typically built using micro and nanofabrication techniques derived from the microelectronics industry and can involve microelectronics-related materials, polymeric materials, and biological materials. This work presents a comprehensive review of the rich dynamical response of a microcantilever and how it has been used for measuring the mass and rheological properties of Newtonian/non-Newtonian fluids in real time, in ever-decreasing space and time scales, and with unprecedented resolution.

24 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The nonlinear interactions between flexural and torsional modes of a microcantilever are experimentally studied and the nonlinear modal interactions play an important role in the dynamics of multi-mode scanning probe microscopes.

23 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a nonlinear dynamics of an electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical resonator utilizing an electrothermal frequency modulation scheme is exploited to create softening behavior, hysteresis, and coexistence of states.
Abstract: In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate a mechanical memory device based on the nonlinear dynamics of an electrostatically actuated microelectromechanical resonator utilizing an electrothermal frequency modulation scheme. The microstructure is deliberately fabricated as an in-plane shallow arch to achieve geometric quadratic nonlinearity. We exploit this inherent nonlinearity of the arch and drive it at resonance with minimal actuation voltage into the nonlinear regime, thereby creating softening behavior, hysteresis, and coexistence of states. The hysteretic frequency band is controlled by the electrothermal actuation voltage. Binary values are assigned to the two allowed dynamical states on the hysteretic response curve of the arch resonator with respect to the electrothermal actuation voltage. Set-and-reset operations of the memory states are performed by applying controlled dc pulses provided through the electrothermal actuation scheme, while the read-out operation is performed simultaneously by measuring the motional current through a capacitive detection technique. This novel memory device has the advantages of operating at low voltages and under room temperature. [2016-0043]

23 citations


Cites background from "Mechanical stiffening, bistability,..."

  • ...[12] investigated the nonlinear dynamics of a micro-cantilever driven by a piezo actuator and demonstrated a mechanical...

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The high tunability of nonlinear response is demonstrated by precisely controlling the chemical bonding interaction, and a cubic elastic constant of 1 × 1020 N m−3 is realized, at the single-bond limit, and this method can be flexibly applied to a variety of mechanical systems to improve nonlinear responses.
Abstract: Nonlinearity in macroscopic mechanical systems may lead to abundant phenomena for fundamental studies and potential applications. However, it is difficult to generate nonlinearity due to the fact that macroscopic mechanical systems follow Hooke's law and respond linearly to external force, unless strong drive is used. Here we propose and experimentally realize high cubic nonlinear response in a macroscopic mechanical system by exploring the anharmonicity in chemical bonding interactions. We demonstrate the high tunability of nonlinear response by precisely controlling the chemical bonding interaction, and realize, at the single-bond limit, a cubic elastic constant of 1 × 10(20) N m(-3). This enables us to observe the resonator's vibrational bi-states transitions driven by the weak Brownian thermal noise at 6 K. This method can be flexibly applied to a variety of mechanical systems to improve nonlinear responses, and can be used, with further improvements, to explore macroscopic quantum mechanics.

22 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study demonstrates that by reconfiguring the same basic building block, tunable resonator, several essential complex logic functions can be achieved.
Abstract: Electromechanical computing based on micro/nano resonators has recently attracted significant attention. However, full implementation of this technology has been hindered by the difficulty in realizing complex logic circuits. We report here an alternative approach to realize complex logic circuits based on multiple MEMS resonators. As case studies, we report the construction of a single-bit binary comparator, a single-bit 4-to-2 encoder, and parallel XOR/XNOR and AND/NOT logic gates. Toward this, several microresonators are electrically connected and their resonance frequencies are tuned through an electrothermal modulation scheme. The microresonators operating in the linear regime do not require large excitation forces, and work at room temperature and at modest air pressure. This study demonstrates that by reconfiguring the same basic building block, tunable resonator, several essential complex logic functions can be achieved.

21 citations

References
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Journal ArticleDOI
15 Jul 2004-Nature
TL;DR: The long relaxation time of the measured signal suggests that the state of an individual spin can be monitored for extended periods of time, even while subjected to a complex set of manipulations that are part of the MRFM measurement protocol.
Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well known as a powerful technique for visualizing subsurface structures with three-dimensional spatial resolution. Pushing the resolution below 1 micro m remains a major challenge, however, owing to the sensitivity limitations of conventional inductive detection techniques. Currently, the smallest volume elements in an image must contain at least 10(12) nuclear spins for MRI-based microscopy, or 10(7) electron spins for electron spin resonance microscopy. Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) was proposed as a means to improve detection sensitivity to the single-spin level, and thus enable three-dimensional imaging of macromolecules (for example, proteins) with atomic resolution. MRFM has also been proposed as a qubit readout device for spin-based quantum computers. Here we report the detection of an individual electron spin by MRFM. A spatial resolution of 25 nm in one dimension was obtained for an unpaired spin in silicon dioxide. The measured signal is consistent with a model in which the spin is aligned parallel or anti-parallel to the effective field, with a rotating-frame relaxation time of 760 ms. The long relaxation time suggests that the state of an individual spin can be monitored for extended periods of time, even while subjected to a complex set of manipulations that are part of the MRFM measurement protocol.

1,379 citations

Journal Article
TL;DR: In this article, the authors reported the detection of an individual electron spin by magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) and achieved a spatial resolution of 25nm in one dimension for an unpaired spin in silicon dioxide.
Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is well known as a powerful technique for visualizing subsurface structures with three-dimensional spatial resolution. Pushing the resolution below 1 µm remains a major challenge, however, owing to the sensitivity limitations of conventional inductive detection techniques. Currently, the smallest volume elements in an image must contain at least 1012 nuclear spins for MRI-based microscopy, or 107 electron spins for electron spin resonance microscopy. Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) was proposed as a means to improve detection sensitivity to the single-spin level, and thus enable three-dimensional imaging of macromolecules (for example, proteins) with atomic resolution. MRFM has also been proposed as a qubit readout device for spin-based quantum computers. Here we report the detection of an individual electron spin by MRFM. A spatial resolution of 25 nm in one dimension was obtained for an unpaired spin in silicon dioxide. The measured signal is consistent with a model in which the spin is aligned parallel or anti-parallel to the effective field, with a rotating-frame relaxation time of 760 ms. The long relaxation time suggests that the state of an individual spin can be monitored for extended periods of time, even while subjected to a complex set of manipulations that are part of the MRFM measurement protocol.

1,192 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 1978
TL;DR: In this article, a set of mathematically consistent governing differential equations of motion describing the nonplanar, nonlinear dynamics of an inextensional beam is developed with the objective of retaining contributions due to nonlinear curvature as well as nonlinear inertia.
Abstract: This paper is divided into two parts. The authors’ purpose in Part I is to formulate a set of mathematically consistent governing differential equations of motion describing the nonplanar, nonlinear dynamics of an inextensional beam. The beam is assumed to undergo flexure about two principal axes and torsion. The equations are developed with the objective of retaining contributions due to nonlinear curvature as well as nonlinear inertia. A priori ordering assumptions are avoided as much as possible in the process. The equations are expanded to contain nonlinearities up to order three to facilitate comparison with analogous equations in the literature, and to render them amenable to the study of moderately large amplitude flexural-torsional oscillations by perturbation techniques. The utilization of the order-three equations in the analysis of nonlinear beam oscillations is the subject of Part II.

362 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and sample are adjusted by pH and electrolytes to distribute the force applied to the AFM tip over a large sample area.

354 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Pulsed microwave reflection measurements on nanofabricated Al junctions show that actual devices attain the performance predicted by theory, and the absence of on-chip dissipation is shown.
Abstract: We have constructed a new type of amplifier whose primary purpose is the readout of superconducting quantum bits. It is based on the transition of a rf-driven Josephson junction between two distinct oscillation states near a dynamical bifurcation point. The main advantages of this new amplifier are speed, high sensitivity, low backaction, and the absence of on-chip dissipation. Pulsed microwave reflection measurements on nanofabricated Al junctions show that actual devices attain the performance predicted by theory.

328 citations