Characterization of magnetically actuated resonant cantilevers in viscous fluids

The vibration behavior of magnetically actuated resonant microcantilevers immersed in viscous fluids has been studied. A dependence of the resonance frequency and the quality factor (Q factor) on the fluid properties, such as density and viscosity and on the cantilever geometry is described. Various cantilever geometries are analyzed in pure water and glycerol solutions, and the results are explained in terms of the added displaced fluid mass and the fluid damping force for both the resonance frequency and the quality factor. An in-depth knowledge and understanding of such systems is necessary when analyzing resonant cantilevers as biochemical sensors in liquid environments. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.