Ultimate limits to inertial mass sensing based upon nanoelectromechanical systems

Nanomechanical resonators can now be realized that achieve fundamental resonance frequencies exceeding 1 GHz, with quality factors (Q) in the range 1,000 - 100,000. The minuscule active masses of these devices, in conjunction with their high Qs, translate into unprecedented inertial mass sensitivities. This makes them natural candidates for a variety of mass sensing applications. Here we evaluate the ultimate mass sensitivity limits for nanomechanical resonators operating in vacuo, which are imposed by a number of fundamental physical noise processes. Our analyses indicate that nanomechanical resonators offer immense potential for mass sensing - ultimately with resolution at the level of individual molecules.