Effects of surface elasticity and residual surface tension on the natural frequency of microbeams

Surface effects often play a significant role in the physical properties of micro- and nanosized materials and structures. In this letter, the authors presented a theoretical model directed towards investigation of the effects of both surface elasticity and residual surface tension on the natural frequency of microbeams. A thin surface layer was introduced on the upper and lower surfaces to rationalize the near-surface material properties that are different from the bulk material. An explicit solution is derived for the natural frequency of microbeams with surface effects. This study might be helpful for the design of microbeam-based sensors and some related measurement techniques. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.