Modeling and experimental analysis on the nonlinearity of single crystal silicon cantilevered microstructures

Single crystal silicon microcantilevers with different supporting properties are fabricated for nonlinearity analysis. Using a modeling method, the frequency responses of the microcantilevers are fitted and their nonlinearity parameters are calculated. It is found that the nonlinearity parameter decreases by increasing the length of the cantilever. For the cantilever with same length, narrow cantilevers have smaller nonlinearity parameters. Microcantilevers with a "soft" supporting plate are more susceptible to nonlinear behavior, and the nonlinear parameter increases by increasing the length of the "soft" supporting plate.