Note: signal amplification and filtering with a tristable stochastic resonance cantilever.

This Note reports a tristable cantilever that exploits stochastic resonance (SR) phenomenon for a study of signal amplification and filtering. The tristable device system combines the benefits of bistable system (wide interwell spacing) and monostable system (smooth motion in potential). The prototype tristable cantilever exhibits 42 times root-mean-square amplitude, 35.86 dB power gain, advance of 15 dB signal-to-noise ratio, and twice fidelity at around 7.6 Hz as compared to the input signal. In a wide operating bandwidth [5.5 Hz, 8.2 Hz], the tristable SR cantilever outperforms the traditional monostable cantilever and bistable SR cantilever in these characteristics.