Multi-cantilever HEMT-based resonant sensor
Irina Khmyrova,∗ and Elena Shestakova†
∗ Computational Nanoelectronics Laboratory, University of Aizu,
Aizu-Wakamatsu City, Fukushima Pref., 965-8580 Japan
Email: khmyrova@u-aizu.ac.jp
† Moscow State University of Environmental Engineering
Staraya Basmannaya Str., 21/4, Moscow, 105066, Russia
Abstract— In this paper resonant sensor based on micro-
machined high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) in which
multiple suspended resonant cantilevers serve as floating gates is
proposed and its analytical and lumped equivalent circuit models
are developed. The proposed HEMT-based multi-cantilever res-
onant sensor enables electrostatic actuation and electrical read-
out. Mass absorption by a cantilever results in the change in its
mechanical resonant frequency. Mechanical oscillations of such
a cantilever excited electrically control the source-drain current.
Thus, its resonant frequency shift can be detected as a frequency
shift in the resonant peak of the source-drain current.
Mechanical oscillations of each cantilever and electromechan-
ical transducer are represented by relevant circuit components.
The developed equivalent circuit of multi-cantilever resonant
sensor was used to simulate its frequency response using Is-
Spice software. The simulation reveals an enhanced source-drain
current with a peak at a single frequency for the array of the
identical cantilevers. In the case of multiple different cantilevers
the simulated source-drain current reveals peaks at frequencies
corresponding to mechanical resonances of the cantilevers, as
expected.
I. I NTRODUCTION
Resonant micro- and nanocantilevers and their arrays
have been proposed for measuring small masses, adsorbents,
etc. [1], [2], [3]. Principle of operation of resonant sensors
incorporating micromechanical cantilevers is based on the
change of cantilever mechanical resonant frequency caused
by the change of the mass, stresses, etc. Frequency shift of
electrically induced mechanical oscillations of such cantilevers
is usually read out using optical beam detection [4]. Another
approach is based on electrostatic actuation and capacitive
read-out. Cantilever resonators integrated with standard com-
plementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) have been
reported [5]. CMOS integration enables simple electrostatic
actuation, capacitive read-out, and signal amplification.
Recently the floating gate high-electron mobility transistor
(HEMT) in which the micromachined suspended cantilever
serving as a floating gate controls the source-drain current
flowing along two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) channel
has been proposed and fabricated [6]. It was an extension of
the concept of resonant gate transistor proposed earlier [7].
The approach based on the resonant gate transistor and, conse-
quently, micromachined HEMT, enables electrostatic actuation
and electrical read-out. The sensing principle is based on
detecting the change in mechanical resonant frequency of the
cantilever due to mass absorption by monitoring the variation
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(a)
L1 Resonant cantileversL2
Drain
Source
V(t)
2DEG channel
(b) Cantilever point mass model
V(t) = V0+δVe-iωt
Spring
constant kcn
Ln
dan
dg
W
Fig. 1. (a) Schematic structure of multi-cantilever resonant sensor with the
HEMT-like structure. All cantilevers have the same width W . Cantilever’s
length is L1 in the 1st array and L2 in the 2nd array; (b)Single end clamped
cantilever’s “point mass” model.
of the source-drain current.
The idea to use 2DEG in sensing systems has been imple-
mented also in strain-sensing cryogenic GaAs/AlGaAs FET
containing 2DEG [8], micromechanical cantilever magnitome-
ter with an integrated 2DEG [9], in the integration of a sus-
pended quantum dot defined in the 2DEG of an AlGaAs/GaAs
heterostructure with adjacent mechanical resonator [10], etc.
To provide a comprehensive picture of some processes in
biology and medicine one need to monitor for alterations in
multiple parameters at molecular, cellular, and tissue levels.
Detection of a single biomarker in such systems due to limited
specificity does not provide sufficiently complete informa-
tion. For example, cancer diagnostics have been shifted from
traditional monitoring of single biomarkers to the detection
of multiple markers. Ideally, a technique that can detect
multiple biomarkers simultaneously using a single sensor
platform would be very attractive. Biosensing technologies
based on cantilever arrays are potentially capable to meet the
requirements for multitarget detection with high sensitivity and
selectivity.
The paper is focused on newly proposed multi-cantilever
resonant sensor with HEMT-like structure in which multiple
resonant cantilevers play the role of floating gates. In the mass Mn and spring constant kcn , γn is the damping coeffi-
proposed device electrically excited mechanical oscillations Can V02
cient, ξ0n = is the cantilever displacement due to dc
of each individual micromachined cantilever cause the change 2kcn d2an
of the electric field at the 2DEG surface beneath resulting ε0 W Ln
bias, capacitance Can = , Ln is the length of the nth
in a variation of the 2DEG concentration in these regions dan
and, consequently, 2DEG channel resistance. If frequency cantilever, and dan is the separation between the cantilever
ω of the ac voltage applied to the cantilevers coincides and HEMT surface.
with the mechanical resonant frequency of one (or several) Representing 2DEG channel N resistance and source-drain
cantilevers a peak appears in the source-drain current. If all current as R2DEG = R0 + n=1 δRωn exp(jωt) and Isd =
0
the cantilevers of the array are identical a peak at a single Isd + δIω exp(jωt), one may obtain for the frequency depen-
frequency corresponding to a single mechanical resonance will dent component of the source-drain current
appear. If different cantilevers or groups of the cantilevers in N
δIω n=1 δRωn
the array have different resonant frequencies of mechanical 0 ∝ , (3)
Isd R0
oscillations peaks in source-drain current will appear at several
0
frequencies. where Isd = Vsd /R0 and R0 are source-drain current and
II. M ODEL 2DEG channel resistance at δV = 0, and frequency depen-
dent component of 2DEG channel resistance beneath the nth
The schematic structure of multi-cantilever resonant MEMS
cantilever is given
with HEMT-like structure is shown in Fig. 1a. 2DEG channel
δRωn =
formed at the heterointerface between wide-gap AlGaAs and
 
the narrow-gap GaAs layers is separated from the top surface W ξ0n 2δV Vth
 (1  ) − V ]2  2 , (4)
of the device by AlGaAs layer with a thickness dg and relative eμLn Σn [Vth − ξ0n g ω γn
dielectric constant εr . The channel is supplied with source 1− +j
ω0n kcn
and drain contacts. If a dc source-drain voltage is applied a
current flows along 2DEG channel between these contacts. where e and μ are the electron charge and mobility, W the
Suspended micromachined cantilevers clamped at one end width of the cantilevers.
serve as floating gates controlling source-drain current similar  
 εr d a  ξ0n
to structures of Refs. [6], [7]. Bias voltage applied to the Vth = Vth 1 + ξ0n =
dg dg
gate (standard or micromachined suspended cantilever) causes 1+
εr d a
the change of the electric field which, in turn, changes the
electron charge induced directly beneath the gate (in the case For example, in the case of the N cantilevers of length L1
of multiple cantilevers - beneath each of them) and, as a and M cantilevers of length L2 one can evaluate normalized
result, the resistance of the relevant parts of the 2DEG channel. frequency dependent source-drain current component in the
Finally, variation in the 2DEG channel resistance results in a form
variation of the source-drain current which can be measured. 
δIω δRω δV Vth R1
If the gate bias voltage contains ac component at a frequency 0   2 ×
ω the cantilevers will oscillate with the same frequency. When Isd R0 R0
signal frequency ω coincides with the resonant frequency ωmn  
N ξ01
of the n-th cantilever mechanical oscillations the source-drain   2 
 (1 − ξ  ) − V ]2 1 − ω γ
current should reveal a peak at this frequency. We assume that [Vth 01 0 + jω
the same bias voltage is applied to all cantilevers and it consists ω01 kc1
of a dc and small ac components: Vg (t) = V0 + δV exp(jωt) 

M L1 ξ02
(δV << V0 ). +   2  , (5)
Sheet electron density in the HEMT channel beneath the   2
ω γ
L2 [Vth (1 − ξ02 ) − V0 ] 1 − + jω
n-th cantilever can be written in the following form [11], [12] ω02 kc2
Vg 0
Σn = Σ0 + , (1) where R1 = W/eμ L1 Σ0 , Fig. 2 shows |δIω |/Isd for two
dg + εr dan (1 − ξn ) arrays of cantilevers of the lengths L1 = 6.15 μm and L2 =
where Σ0 is the 2DEG sheet electron density at Vg = 0, 0.64 × L1 , and funfamental modes of mechanical oscillations
displacement ξn of the nth cantilever can be found solving the ω01 and ω02 , respectively. One can see from Fig. 2 that source-
equation of forced damped harmonic oscillator [13] provided drain current reveals peaks at two frequencies corresponding
a suspended cantilever is substituted by its point mass model to relevant resonant frequencies of cantilevers’ mechanical
  oscillations, as expected. The amplitude of resonant peaks of
2 δV ejωt
ξn = ξ0n 1 + 2ω0n 2 − ω 2 + jωγ /M , (2) the source-drain current is significantly larger in the case of 4
V0 ω0n n n
 cantilevers in each array comparing to the case of 1 cantilever
where ω0n = kcn /Mn is fundamental mode of mechanical in each array. Thus, varying the number of cantilevers in each
oscillations of the nth “point mass” cantilever with effective array we can control also peak amplitudes.

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 1 cantilever L1 + 1 cantilever L2 0.7

Normalized source-drain currrent , a.u.

0.005 4 cantilevers L1 + 4 cantilevers L2
Triple cantilevers of different length
L1 = 6.15 μm
0.004
L2 = 0.64 L1
0.6
sd
0

0.003
|δIω|/ I

0.002

0.5
0.001

0
8 10 12
Frequency, MHz
0.4
Fig. 2. Normalized frequency dependent component of source-drain current
versus frequency for the resonant sensor with two arrays of different can- 8 10 12
tilevers. Cantilevers of length L1 = 6.15 μm have an effective mass M1 = Frequency, MHz
37.2 × 10−15 kg and spring constant kc1 = 87.73 N/m. The parameters of
the cantilevers with length L2 = 0.64 × L1 are: M2 = 23.8 × 10−15 kg Fig. 4. Normalized source-drain current versus frequency for the resonant
and kc2 = 137.08 N/m. sensor with triple cantilevers with lengths: L1 = 3.94μm, L2 = 4.92,μm an
d L3 = 6.15 μm.

III. E QUIVALENT CIRCUIT AND RESULTS OF I S S PICE TABLE I

SIMULATION L IST OF STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS USED

An electrical equivalent circuit of multi-cantilever resonant

sensor shown in Fig. 3 is an extension of the equivalent circuit Cantilever length (μm) Lc = 3.94; 4.92 and 6.15
developed for a single cantilever [11]. Dashed boxes enclose Cantilever width (μm) Wc = 3
Spring constant (N/m) kc = 137.08; 109.66 and 87.73
the parts of the circuit “responsible “ for the mechanical Damping coefficient (kg/s) γm = 1.8 − 45.18 × 10−9
oscillations in which inductance Lmn = Mn , capacitance Cantilever effective mass (kg) Mn = 23.8 × 10−15 ;
Cmn = 1/kcn , and resistance Rmn = γn [13]. Trans- 29.76 × 10−15 and 37.2 × 10−15
formers enclosed in the ovals represent electro-mechanical Air gap between cantilever
and HEMT top surface (nm) da = 430
and mechano-electrical transducers. Resistance Rgn is the Thickness of the layer
resistance of the 2DEG channel beneath the nth cantilever. under the gate (nm) dg = 70
Resistance of the ungated parts of the 2DEG channel is Sheet electron density (cm−2 ) Σ0 = 3.46 × 1011
Electron mobility (cm2 V−1 s−1 ) μ = 3 × 105
represented by the resistances Rsc and Rdc . Threshold voltage (V) Vth = −0.36
Dielectric constant εr = 12
Vc = V0 + δ Vcos ω t Vc = V0 + δ Vcos ω t

Rm1 m1 Rmn mn

Ca1
Cm1
Cg1/2 Cg1/2 Cg/2
Rsc Rg1
Vsd
Fig. 3. Electrical equivalent circuit of multi-cantilever HEMT-based resonant
sensor.
Response of the triple-cantilever resonant sensor has been
simulated using the equivalent circuit developed and IsSpice
circuit simulator which is a version of SPICE (Simulation Pro-
gram with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) developed by IntuSoft.
The lengths of the cantilevers were set: Lc = 3.94; 4.92 and
6.15 μm, respectively. Other parameters used in the simulation
are listed in the Table 1. Normalized frequency dependence of
the source-drain current of the triple-cantilever resonant sensor
is shown in Fig. 4 As it is seen from Fig. 4, resonant peaks
of the source-drain current are revealed at frequencies cor-
responding to resonant frequencies of mechanical oscillations
Can
of three cantilevers. Varying the number of cantilevers of each
Cmn
Cgn/2
type we can control the peak amplitudes of the source-drain
current.
Vout
Rdc
Rgn RL
IV. D ISCUSSION
The proposed multi-cantilever resonant sensor with the
HEMT-like structure in which mechanical and electronic func-
tions could be integrated on a single chip using currently avail-
able microfabrication technologies is a promising approach for
a realization of a multitarget sensor. Using multiple cantilevers
for single target detection will lower noise and greatly increase
selectivity. Resonant cantilever sensors are well suited for mass
detection in vacuum and air but their performance is very poor
in liquid environments. Therefore, resonant sensors are gen-
erally not used for highly sensitive mass detecton in liquids.
Their adaption for biomarkers detection in fluids is possible
through optimization of cantilever geometries, immobilization
techniques and analyte delivery schemes similar to a recently
proposed concept of a hollow cantilever [14].

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 V. C ONCLUSIONS
We proposed novel HEMT-based multi-cantilever resonant
sensor which enables electrostatic actuation and electrical
read-out. The change in mechanical resonant frequency of
the cantilevers due to mass absorption is detected as the
variation of the source-drain current revealing resonant peaks
at frequencies corresponding to mechanical resonances.
Analytical and lumped equivalent circuit models are devel-
oped. Mechanical oscillations of the cantilevers and electro-
mechanical transducer are represented by relevant components
in the electrical circuit model. The developed equivalent circuit
of multi-cantilever resonant sensor was used to simulate its
frequency response using IsSpice software.
The cases of identical and different cantilevers have been
studied. It is shown that a transition from a single to multiple
identical cantilevers results in the enhancement of the response
at a given single frequency. In the case of multiple different
cantilevers having different resonant frequencies of the me-
chanical oscillations the source-drain current reveals several
peaks at relevant resonant frequencies, as expected.
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