Microcantilevers encapsulated in fluid wells for sensing in liquids

Abstract: We fabricated arrays of cantilever sensors suspended deep inside fluid wells. To eliminate critical alignment and assembling steps during encapsulation of the cantilevers, these 3-D MEMS devices are realized in a single-side, single-wafer process by employing photolithography on bulk micromachined substrates. Silicon nitride cantilevers with varying geometries are suspended up to below the wafer surface, and a structured gold layer is patterned on top. After calibrating the cantilevers in an optical lever setup, the formation of a DNA monolayer on the cantilever surface is detected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]