Smart MEMS/NEMS resonators with functional material layers utilizing local and global nonlinearities for ultrasensitive (bio)sensing applications

The recent advances in nanotechnology allowed us to design multi-layered structures with extraordinary functional properties that are often used in photovoltaics, micro-electronics, optics, or for a design of tunable resonators, and physical, chemical or biological sensors. They consist of multiple materials layers such as piezoelectric, photo-resistive or even functional (memory shape) materials. However, due to their complex structure they can easily exhibit a nonlinear behavior. Hence, it is desirable to understand this nonlinear response to either exploit it in a favor of the sensor or to avoid it. In this project, we address this issue and plan to theoretically and experimentally investigate the multi-layered micro/nano-mechanical resonators with various global and local nonlinearities. Based on the advanced multiscale models their application limits in sensing devices will be further analyzed. Our results are of a high importance in a design of various micro/nano-scale sensors and will open a doorway for investigating the majority of problems of nonlinear dynamical systems.