Evaluation of length-scale effects for mechanical behaviour of micro- and nanocantilevers: II. Experimental verification of deflection models using atomic force microscopy

Authors

Chenzhi TangFollow
Gursel Alici, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

57191

Publication Details

Tang, C. Alici, G. (2011). Evaluation of length-scale effects for mechanical behaviour of micro- and nanocantilevers: II. Experimental verification of deflection models using atomic force microscopy. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 44 (33), 1-7.

Abstract

This paper is the second of two parts that reports on evaluating the length-scale effects for micro- and nano-sized silicon cantilevers using experimental data provided by atomic force microscopy. The tip deflections estimated with the conventional tip deflection model and the modified deflection model incorporating the length-scale factor are determined and compared with the experimental data. These comparative data demonstrate that the length-scale factor should be considered in accurately estimating the tip deflection of the micro- and nano-sized cantilevers. We also present the effect of the length-scale factor on the stiffness of the cantilevers, which also indicate that the classical models derived for macro-sized cantilevers cannot be used to accurately estimate the bending stiffness of the micro- and nano-sized cantilevers. The implications of accurately estimating the tip deflection and stiffness for micro- and nanocantilever sensors are discussed and it is concluded that when these sensors are used in the static mode, the modified deflection model should be used in estimating the mass of the species of interest binding (analyte) on the surface of the cantilevers.