Observation of Knudsen effect with microcantilevers

A. Passian, R. J. Warmack, A. Wig, R. H. Farahi, F. Meriaudeau, T. L. Ferrell, T. Thundat

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Knudsen effect is estimated theoretically and observed experimentally using a U-shaped silicon microcantilever. Though Knudsen forces are extremely small in most cases involving microcantilevers, there exist situations where these forces can be significant and may be important in atomic force microscopy and in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The criteria for the presence of Knudsen forces are outlined and an analytical expression in the form of a linear function of the pressure is given for the force in the free molecular regime. The experimental results display peaks in the transitional regime while varying linearly in the molecular regime.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)401-406
Number of pages6
JournalUltramicroscopy
Volume97
Issue number1-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2003

Funding

The authors would like to thank Marvin W. Dotson for technical support in the cantilever readout. This work was supported by the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER). Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831-6123 is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC for the Department of Energy under contract number DE-AC05-0096OR22725.

Keywords

  • Atomic force microscopy
  • Force measurement
  • Free molecular flow
  • Knudsen force
  • Microcantilever sensors
  • Rarefied gas

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