Structure design of AlN double-ended tuning fork resonators

The resonant sensors based on aluminum nitride double-ended tuning fork (AlN DETF) have the characteristics of small size, good stability and reliability, fast response. In order to improve the sensitivity and resolution, it is necessary to analyze the influence of the structure parameters of vibrating beam on the sensitivity and signal power of AlN resonator. The multi-physics model of AlN DETF resonator was established to verify effect of single parameter on the sensitivity by pre-stressed eigenfrequency analysis. The relationships between signal power and length, width of vibrating beam were obtained by post-processing data of simulation results when the thickness remained constant. The results show that relative sensitivity and signal power are growing with opposite direction with the width or the length of the beam. Therefore, there is a design tradeoff between signal power and relative sensitivity of AlN resonator according to the process and structure strength. The optimized AlN DETF resonator was simulated, its sensitivity, signal power and Q are 56 Hz/μN, 6.8e-4 nW and 958, respectively.