Review—Measurements of Ionizing Radiations Using Micromechanical Sensors

Abstract We discuss several micromechanical sensor methods for utilizing technologies to detect gamma and beta radiation. The bending and resonance-frequency shifts of microcantilever sensors exhibit high sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Quartz oscillators, as well as microcantilevers coated with different materials, can aid in increasing the sensor sensitivity. Introducing MEMS technology to hydrogen-pressure sensors increased the ability of the sensors to detect low doses of radiation. Quartz tuning forks show excellent sensitivity to radiation and prove to be good candidates for radiation detection. It has been reported as will be discussed in this review that a limit of detection of as low as 0.3 μGy has been possible using micromechanical sensors.