Evaluating the reliability of a cantilever biosensor for disease or cell detection

Micro/nano cantilever represents the recent most diffuse mechanical biosensor since there are two main modes in which can be operated: static bending and dynamic resonance frequency shift. In the former case, it responds mechanically to changes in the surface stresses on its surfaces due to the adsorption of the analyte that cover the surface area of the sensor with a uniform film. In the latter case, it responds mechanically by changing the resonance frequency due to the deposited cell mass on an added layer. Nonetheless, the limited range of applicability of the equations proposed for the biodetection may hinder their easy use as biomolecular sensors on real-time biological assays. The main factors that limit their reliability are:the presence of real interfacial slip, the dependence of the resonance frequency on the cell position and the strong reduction of the mass resolution due to the damping effect of the liquid medium.