Enhanced sensitivity in nonlinear parity-time symmetric silicon micromechanical resonators

Enhanced sensitivity in nonlinear parity-time symmetric silicon micromechanical resonators | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Enhanced sensitivity in nonlinear parity-time symmetric silicon micromechanical resonators Qing-An Huang, Yu-Jue Xie, Li-Feng Wang, Man-Na Zhang, Rui Wang This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6964152/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Microsystems & Nanoengineering → Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Silicon resonant sensors are essential to a wide range of applications that involve the detection of pressure, acceleration, and magnetic fields. In general, they operate by monitoring a shift in the resonant frequency of silicon micromechanical resonators when subjected to perturbations due to the aforementioned parameters. This frequency shift manifests as a linear dependence on the perturbation. The demand for ever more precise silicon resonant sensors has catalyzed research endeavors aimed at boosting their sensitivity beyond geometrical constraints, including attempts to utilize synchronization phenomenon in coupled silicon resonators. Here we establish and experimentally demonstrate a method using non-Hermitian singularities, or exceptional points, to amplify sensitivity. This method reveals that the frequency shift in nonlinear parity-time symmetric silicon micromechanical resonators exhibits a cubic root singularity of perturbations. In the small perturbation limits, we observe an increase in sensitivity by several orders of magnitude when compared to traditional configurations. Our findings pave the way towards the next generation of ultrasensitive silicon resonant sensors. Physical sciences/Engineering/Electrical and electronic engineering Physical sciences/Physics Full Text Additional Declarations There is no conflict of interest Supplementary Files Supplementarymine.pdf Enhanced sensitivity in nonlinear parity-time symmetric silicon micromechanical resonators Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 01 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Microsystems & Nanoengineering → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: revise 22 Jul, 2025 Review # 3 received at journal 21 Jul, 2025 Review # 2 received at journal 14 Jul, 2025 Review # 1 received at journal 06 Jul, 2025 Reviewer # 3 agreed at journal 26 Jun, 2025 Reviewer # 2 agreed at journal 25 Jun, 2025 Reviewer # 1 agreed at journal 25 Jun, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 25 Jun, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 25 Jun, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 24 Jun, 2025 First submitted to journal 24 Jun, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6964152","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":476571884,"identity":"7de72e79-ccaa-4678-97aa-e9dea8ddd533","order_by":0,"name":"Qing-An 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