A simple technique to increase the quality factor of micro-mechanical resonators

Ross G. Turnbull; Mike C. L. Ward; Steve Collins; Carl J. Anthony

doi:10.1117/12.818673

11 May 2009 A simple technique to increase the quality factor of micro-mechanical resonators

Ross G. Turnbull, Mike C. L. Ward, Steve Collins, Carl J. Anthony

Proceedings Volume 7318, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications; 73181G (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818673
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2009, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

When a micromechanical resonator is moving in air, resistance to motion causes damping which is proportional to the velocity of the resonator. This results in a low quality factor and reduces the sensitivity of the resonator and hence any sensor incorporating the resonator, to any environmental changes. In this paper, a method for increasing the quality factor of micromechanical resonant sensors using velocity feedback is reported. To achieve this, the feedthrough signal between drive and sense connections due to parasitic capacitance is first cancelled in order to remove the previously unreported, undesirable effects that occur from the combination of velocity feedback and capacitive feedthrough. Using this technique, the quality factor of a resonator in air is increased by over two orders of magnitude.

Citation Download Citation

Ross G. Turnbull, Mike C. L. Ward, Steve Collins, and Carl J. Anthony "A simple technique to increase the quality factor of micro-mechanical resonators", Proc. SPIE 7318, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications, 73181G (11 May 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.818673

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