Common mode rejection in electrically coupled MEMS resonators utilizing mode localization for sensor applications

Measuring shifts in eigenstates due to vibration localization in an array of weakly coupled resonators offer two distinct advantages for sensor applications as opposed to the technique of simply measuring resonant frequency shifts: (1) orders of magnitude enhancement in parametric sensitivity and (2) intrinsic common mode rejection. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate the common mode rejection capabilities of such sensors. The vibration behavior is studied in pairs of nearly identical MEMS resonators that are electrically coupled, and subjected to small perturbations in stiffness under different ambient pressure and temperature. The shifts in the eigenstates for the same parametric perturbation in stiffness are experimentally demonstrated to be over three orders of magnitude greater than corresponding resonant frequency variations. They are also shown to remain relatively constant to variations in ambient temperature and pressure. This increased relative robustness to environmental drift, along with the advantage of ultra-high parametric sensitivity, opens the door to an alternative approach to achieving higher sensitivity and stability in micromechanical sensors.