Ultrasensitive mode-localized mass sensor with electrically tunable parametric sensitivity

We use the phenomena of mode localization and vibration confinement in pairs of weakly coupled, nearly identical microelectromechanical (MEMS) resonators as an ultrasensitive technique of detecting added mass on the resonator. The variations in the eigenstates for induced mass additions are studied and compared with corresponding resonant frequency shifts in pairs of MEMS resonators that are coupled electrostatically. We demonstrate that the relative shifts in the eigenstates can be over three orders of magnitude greater than those in resonant frequency for the same addition of mass. We also investigate the effects of voltage controlled electrical spring tuning on the parametric sensitivity of such sensors and demonstrate sensitivities tunable by over 400%