Vibrating beam force sensor

A mechanical resonator comprising:

• a pair of vibrating beams, each said beam having first and second ends;
• a support structure interconnected to one of said first and second ends of each said vibrating beam;
• a joining portion extending between said vibrating beams at a point between said first and second ends of said beams, said joining portion interconnecting said beams;
• and
• a counter balance extending from one side of each said vibrating beam opposite said joining portion at each said first and second ends,
• whereby forces at each said first and second end of each said beam transferred to said support structure is substantially zero.

An apparatus for detecting an applied force, the apparatus comprising:

• a substrate comprising a semiconducting material and defining a frame;
• an active layer of semiconducting material comprising at least two vibrating beams interconnected at a point between first and second ends of said beams, said vibrating beams mechanically coupled to said frame for detecting a force applied thereto;
• a counter balance extending from one side of each said vibrating beam opposite said interconnecting point;
• and
• an insulating layer formed between the substrate and the active layer to insulate at least a portion of said vibrating beams from said substrate.

A method for eliminating the transfer of energy from a mechanical resonator to a supporting structure thereof, the method comprising:

• mechanically coupling first ends of a pair of vibrating beams to the supporting structure for detecting a force applied thereto;
• mechanically interconnecting said pair of vibrating beams at a point between said first ends and second ends;
• and
• counter balancing each of said vibrating beams by forming one or more counter balances on one side of each said vibrating beam opposite the other of said vibrating beams, whereby forces at the ends of the beams are substantially eliminated.