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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
The resonance of electrostatically actuated thin-film a-Si:H microbridges immersed in de-ionized water is detected and characterized. When the operating medium changes from vacuum to air, a small decrease of 5% of the resonance frequency occurs and the quality factor decreases from approximately 1000 to 100. The operation of the microresonators in deionized water produces a 60% shift in resonance frequency to lower values and the quality factor decreases to 10. Appropriate actuation conditions at resonance in water are used to avoid electrolysis and electrode field screening. The detection of the resonance frequency of a microbridge operating in solutions with high conductivities, up to 8 mS/cm, and viscosities up to 0.2 Pa.s is demonstrated.