US Patent 7347085 Nanoscale displacement detector

A nanoscale displacement detector includes a cantilever integrated with an optical resonator, referred to herein as a “microresonator.” The microresonator and cantilever are configured such that displacement of the cantilever relative to the microresonator causes a change in the resonant frequency of the microresonator. The change in the resonant frequency of the microresonator is used to monitor cantilever displacement. In an embodiment, the microresonator includes a cavity that faces the cantilever and the cantilever includes a protrusion that faces the microresonator and is aligned with the cavity.