Investigation of adsorption and absorption-induced stresses using microcantilever sensors

The interaction between a vapor and a thin film adsorbed on one side of a bimaterial microcantilever produces differential stress, resulting in readily measurable curvatures of the cantilever structure. Depending upon the system studied, there exist two types of gas–solid interaction: bulk-like absorption and surface-like adsorption. The absorption of hydrogen into palladium results in film expansion whose magnitude is governed by hydrogen partial pressure. The bending of a bimaterial microcantilever (palladium/silicon) due to hydrogen absorption depends on the thickness of the palladium film and is reversible but rate limited by a surface barrier. In contrast, the stress induced by adsorption of mercury onto a bimaterial (gold/silicon) cantilever is irreversible at room temperature, is rate limited by surface coverage, and is independent of the gold–film thickness.