Aluminum nanocantilevers for high sensitivity mass sensors

We have fabricated Al nanocantilevers using a simple, one mask contact UV lithography technique with lateral and vertical dimensions under 500 and 100 nm, respectively. These devices are demonstrated as highly sensitive mass sensors by measuring their dynamic properties. Furthermore, it is shown that Al has a potential higher sensitivity than Si based dynamic sensors. Initial testing of these devices has been conducted using a scanning electron microscope setup were the devices were tested under high vacuum conditions. The Q factor was measured to be approximately 200 and the mass sensitivity was measured to 2 ag/Hz by depositing electron-beam-induced carbon at the end of the nanocantilever. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.