Manipulation and controlled amplification of Brownian motion of microcantilever sensors

Microcantilevers, such as those used in atomic force microscopy, undergo Brownian motion due to mechanical thermal noise. The root mean square amplitude of the Brownian motion of a cantilever typically ranges from 0.01-0.1 nm, which limits its use in practical applications. Here we describe a technique by which the Brownian amplitude and the Q factor in air and water can be amplified by three and two orders of magnitude, respectively. This technique is similar to a positive feedback oscillator, wherein the Brownian motion of the vibrating cantilever controls the frequency output of the oscillator. This technique can be exploited to improve sensitivity of microcantilever-based chemical and biological sensors, especially for sensors in liquid environments. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.