Analysis of resonating microcantilevers operating in a viscous liquid environment

The characteristics of resonant cantilevers in viscous liquids are analyzed. Various rectangular cantilevers geometries are studied in pure water, glycerol and ethanol solutions of different concentrations, and the results are described in terms of the added displaced liquid mass and the liquid damping force for both, the resonance frequency and the quality factor (Q-factor). Experimental results using a set of magnetically actuated resonant cantilevers vibrating in the out-of-plane (“weak-axis bending”) mode are presented and compared to theoretical calculations. The importance of the study is in the use of resonant cantilevers as biochemical sensors in liquid environments.