NEMS in action
Figure 3. (a) At the heart of the electrometer is a mechanical resonator made of silicon-on-insulator that rotates when a radio-frequency current is passed through the loop-shaped gold electrode in the presence of a strong magnetic field. The resulting torsional motion generates an electric field that is measured by the detection electrode. When a charge is placed on the gate electrode, the resulting electric field alters the frequency with which the resonator rotates. (b) First- and second-generation mechanical electrometers built at Caltech. (Picture credit: A N Cleland/Caltech, E A Henriksen/Caltech)