Silicon carbide electrothermal mixer-filters

Abstract

Simultaneous frequency filtering and mixing has been performed by electrothermal actuation of bimorph aluminium/silicon carbide (Al/SiC) resonators. The structures have been actuated electrothermally by applying an AC voltage superimposed onto a DC bias across the top Al electrode and the resonant frequencies have been detected. In addition, two AC signals have been used to drive the cantilevers into resonance when the sum or the difference of the input frequencies matches the structures’ natural frequency. The resonators can be employed to convert an input frequency to a higher or lower one determined by the mechanical and geometrical properties of the structure.