Large-scale integration of nanoelectromechanical systems for gas sensing applications.

We have developed arrays of nanomechanical systems (NEMS) by large-scale integration, comprising thousands of individual nanoresonators with densities of up to 6 million NEMS per square centimeter. The individual NEMS devices are electrically coupled using a combined series-parallel configuration that is extremely robust with respect to lithographical defects and mechanical or electrostatic-discharge damage. Given the large number of connected nanoresonators, the arrays are able to handle extremely high input powers (>1 W per array, corresponding to <1 mW per nanoresonator) without excessive heating or deterioration of resonance response. We demonstrate the utility of integrated NEMS arrays as high-performance chemical vapor sensors, detecting a part-per-billion concentration of a chemical warfare simulant within only a 2 s exposure period.

In-plane nanoelectromechanical resonators based on silicon nanowire piezoresistive detection.

We report an actuation/detection scheme with a top-down nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) for frequency shift based sensing applications with outstanding performance. It relies on electrostatic actuation and piezoresistive nanowire gauges for in-plane motion transduction. The process fabrication is fully CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) compatible. The results show a very large dynamic range of more than 100 dB and an unprecedented signal to background ratio of 69 dB providing an improvement of two orders of magnitude in the detection efficiency presented in the state of the art in NEMS fields. Such a dynamic range results from both negligible 1/f noise and very low Johnson noise compared to the thermomechanical noise. This simple low power detection scheme paves the way for new class of robust mass resonant sensors.