1994/05/23 by Thomas Thundat, R. J. Warmack, G. Y. Chen +1 · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Engineering · #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Advanced MEMS and NEMS Technologies
paper · doi:10.1063/1.111407
openalex publication_date 1994/05/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/26
The deflection of scanning force microscope cantilevers, metal coated on one side, is significantly influenced by both thermal heating and variations in relative humidity. For constant relative humidity, the deflection of the cantilever drifts due to laser heating and eventually reaches a steady-state value. For a thermally stabilized cantilever, the deflection varies linearly with relative humidity. Exposure to other vapors, such as mercury, changes the inherent deflection of the cantilever. Relative amounts of adsorbates on the cantilever can be estimated from shifts in the cantilever resonance frequency with picogram mass resolution. The cantilever deflection as well as changes in resonance frequency due to vapor adsorption can be used as basis for novel chemical sensors.