Pilot SQUID Evaluation of a MEMS Cantilever Resonator With Monolithic PowderMEMS Magnets Used as a Miniaturized Oscillatory B-Field Marker

This letter presents a pilot evaluation of a microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) cantilever resonator with monolithically integrated NdFeB magnets at its tip for compact generation of a time-dependent magnetic field. By applying a low-amplitude sinusoidal voltage with a predefined frequency to a piezoelectric layer, the cantilever is driven at its mechanical resonance, causing the embedded magnets to oscillate in space, resulting in a time-varying magnetic flux density. A prototype device is characterized for the first time by a superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer inside a magnetically shielded room only for evaluation purposes. A magnetic performance factor is introduced, which relates device design aspects to experimental observables and allows for the comparison of different devices. The results enable us to outline optimization steps toward robust, low-power MEMS-based magnetic field markers for biomagnetic sensing applications, industrial sensing, and magnetic measurement platforms where conventional coil-based systems are impractical.