Development of near-field microwave methods for NEMS resonators

We have developed a novel near-field microwave probe system which is able to simultaneously excite and readout the oscillation of a range of mechanical resonators, from hundreds of microns to sub-micron size. In this paper we discuss the coupling strength between a near-field microwave coaxial probe and a conducting cantilever. We present experimental results on a variety of excitation and readout methods, including a novel self-sustaining microwave interrogated oscillator with excellent frequency stability. We describe a parametric techniques for driving NEMS resonators in a low-noise manner and reading out NEMS resonators under a variety of excitation techniques. Finally we present designs for a scanned array system which allows a single microwave source to interrogate a range of membrane resonators. This has potential for biosensor and other future applications.