Simulation of nano-mechanical measurement of mass accretion in biological systems

Nano-mechanical resonators operating in liquid have been used to measure the change in the mass of a cell attached to the resonator as it grows. As the cell accretes mass, the natural frequency of the system changes, which can be measured experimentally. The current work extends methods previously developed for simulation of an atomic force microscope operating in liquid to study this phenomena. A silicon cantilever with a 10 micron width, an 800 nanometer thickness, and a length of 30 microns was selected as a baseline configuration. The change in resonant frequency as the system accretes mass was determined through simulation. The results show that the change in natural frequency as mass accretes on the resonator is predictable through simulation. The length and material of the cantilever were changed. The results show that shorter cantilevers, made from materials with higher elastic moduli, will be more accurate in this application.