A Novel Thermal Noise Actuated Pressure Sensor

Conventional coherently driven MEMS/NEMS sensors usually encounter unwanted intrinsic thermal noise which has fundamental limitation upon the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and, consequently, the resolution. This paper proposes a new paradigm where the sensor is driven by intrinsic thermal noise instead of external coherent force. Nanoscale structures with ultralow stiffness and ultrahigh quality factor are promising candidates for this class of sensors. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate a noise-actuated pressure sensor that operates without external actuation and embodies sensing mechanisms unrelated to phase. This design paradigm offers a new opportunity to enable simpler and lower-power-consumption nano-scale sensors applicable to environment at room temperature and under ambient conditions.