Cantilever with 10-fold tunable spring constant using Lorentz force

This paper reports a cantilever with 10-fold tunable spring constant. The spring constant can be tuned both larger and smaller using Lorentz force generated by direct current which flows through the wiring on the cantilever. We designed the cantilever so that the maximum spring constant change by Lorentz force can be the same order as initial spring constant. The change of the spring constant was evaluated from the resonant frequency shift. The experimental result shows that the resonant frequency can be controlled from 1.1 kHz to 3.8 kHz, and the ratio of the tuned spring constant to the initial value was evaluated to be from 0.22 to 2.6.