Microcantilever sensors with embedded piezoresistive transistor read-out: Design and characterization

Microcantilevers are very effective tools in detecting of small amount of bio-species and chemicals. Recent advances in metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) as a transducer to detect the molecule binding-induced cantilever deflection has gained extensive attention due to its high sensitivity and direct compatibility with micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensors. In this paper, six different piezoresistive nMOSFET-embedded microcantilevers are designed and characterized to systematically study the impacts of different cantilever and transistor channel geometries on the device sensitivity. It is found that the amount of change in the drain current is the same range as reported in the literature. For point-loading applications, transistors with lower channel width are optimal for relative drain current change even though their absolute current output is less. In particular, the embedded nMOSFET Exhibits 63.6% higher sensitivity by decreasing transistor channel width from 300 to 60 μm. Furthermore, theoretical results are compared with experimental data to optimize cantilever and transistor geometrical factors to achieve higher stress or force sensitivity. The low frequency noise characteristics of the devices show better resolution for higher aspect-ratio transistors, with drain current noise in the nanoampere range. Results reveal useful design guidelines to enhance the MOSFET-embedded microcantilever sensitivity for various applications.