Theoretical and Experimental Study on Airflow Damping of Vibrating Microcantilevers

The damping characteristics of microcantilevers are clarified analytically and experimentally to establish a dynamic design method of micromechanical systems. First, an approximate formula of airflow damping was derived using the Navier-Stokes equation. A precise measurement apparatus was then developed to verify the theory. The damping ratios of cantilevers ranging from 0.1 mm to 100 mm in length were measured, and the effects of beam size, vibrational mode number, and vibrational amplitude on the damping ratio were studied.