System and method for detecting the displacement of a plurality of micro- and nanomechanical elements, such as micro-cantilevers

A system for detecting the displacement, such as the deflection or tilting, of a plurality of elements (1) forming part of a formation (2), said system comprising: a source (3) of light arranged to emit a beam (4) light towards the formation (2); an optical detector (5) position arranged to receive the light beam upon reflection of said light beam by said formation, said detector (5) position being arranged to provide a first output indicative of a position of incidence of the reflected beam light on said position detector, whereby said position of incidence is determined by the displacement of the corresponding element; means (7) scanning to move the beam (4) of light along the formation (2), so that the light beam is sequentially reflected by the elements (1) individual along said formation (2 ), towards the detector (5) position; and means (11) for detecting reflection to detect when the light beam is reflected by an element; the system arranged so that when the means (11) for detecting reflection detect that the light beam is reflected by an element, taking the corresponding first output of the detector (5) Optical position as an indication of displacement of said being element; wherein the means (11) for detecting reflection comprises: means (111) for detecting an intensity of light received by said position detector; and means (112) for detecting variations in said intensity; the system being arranged to interpret said variations so as to determine when said intensity corresponds to a reflection of the light beam by an element.