Piezoelectric Microcantilever Sensor System
MIE Professor Nader Jalili was awarded a patent for a "Sensor system utilizing piezoelectric microcantilever coupled with resonating circuit".
Abstract Source: USPTO
An interchangeable sensor system is described, including: a microcantilever including a beam anchored at a first end, the beam being free to vibrate on another end, wherein a piezoelectric layer is deposited on a surface of the beam; an input configured to receive a voltage from a voltage source for applying voltage to the piezoelectric layer; and a resonating circuit including: the piezoelectric layer, configured as a capacitor of the resonant circuit; and one or more additional electrical elements; wherein the voltage source is configured to apply a first AC voltage under a first condition for actuating the microcantilever at a first mechanical resonating frequency of the microcantilever and a second AC voltage under a second condition for actuating the microcantilever at a second electrical resonating frequency of the resonating circuit. Method of using the sensor system is also described.
