Contactless electromagnetic switched interrogation of micromechanical cantilever resonators

A principle for contactless interrogation of passive micromechanical resonator sensors is proposed. The principle exploits an external primary coil electromagnetically air-coupled to a secondary coil which is connected to a conductive path on the resonator. The interrogation periodically switches between interleaved excitation and detection phases. During the excitation phase the resonator is driven into vibrations, while in the detection phase the excitation signal is turned off and the decaying oscillations are contactless sensed. The principle advantageously avoids magnetic properties required to the resonator, thereby ensuring compatibility with standard silicon microfabrication processes. The principle has been implemented on a MEMS SOI microcantilever resonator sensor with mechanical resonant frequency of 10.186 kHz and has been demonstrated to work over a distance of up to 1 cm. Tests based on the deposition and evaporation of a water droplet have demonstrated the capability to sense physical and chemical quantities which affect either the resonant frequency or the quality factor of the resonator.