Title :
Piezoresistive probes for (biomolecular) force sensing
Author :
Bausells, Joan ; Tosolini, Giordano ; Birhane, Yigezu M. ; Perez-Murano, F.
Author_Institution :
Barcelona Microelectron. Inst. (IMB), CNM, Bellaterra, Spain
Abstract :
We have developed self-sensing piezoresistive microcantilevers optimized for the measurement of (biomolecular) forces. Typical dimensions are 250 μm in length, 8-20 μm in width and 450 nm in thickness, with spring constants of about 1 mN/m. The devices have been electromechanically tested on wafer and show good force resolutions in air between 35 and 130 pN depending on the cantilever dimensions. We have also tested the electromechanical behavior of the cantilevers in liquid environment and we show that both the force sensitivity and the noise characteristics of the devices are not noticeably degraded as compared with their response in air. This opens the way to the use of the cantilevers in single molecule force spectroscopy of biomolecules.
Keywords :
bioMEMS; biological techniques; cantilevers; electromechanical effects; force measurement; force sensors; microsensors; molecular biophysics; piezoresistive devices; biomolecular force sensing; cantilever dimensions; electromechanical behavior; electromechanical testing; liquid environment; noise characteristics; piezoresistive probes; self-sensing piezoresistive microcantilevers; single molecule force spectroscopy; size 250 mum; size 450 nm; size 8 mum to 20 mum; spring constants; Force; Liquids; Noise; Piezoresistance; Probes; Sensitivity; Silicon; force sensor; microcantilever; piezoresistive;
Conference_Titel :
Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems (NEMS), 2013 8th IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Suzhou
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4673-6351-8
DOI :
10.1109/NEMS.2013.6559917
