A high-quality-factor film bulk acoustic resonator in liquid for biosensing applications

Wencheng Xu, Xu Zhang, Seokheun Choi, Junseok Chae

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

49 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a high-quality-factor (Q) film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) operating in liquid environments. By integrating a microfluidic channel to a longitudinal-mode FBAR, a Q of up to 150 is achieved with direct liquid contacting. A transmission line model is used to theoretically predict the Q behavior of the FBAR. The model suggests an oscillatory pattern of Q as a function of the channel thickness and the acoustic wavelength in the liquid, which is experimentally verified by precisely controlling the channel thickness. This FBAR biosensor is characterized in liquids for the real-time in situ monitoring of the competitive adsorption/exchange of proteins, the Vroman effect. The FBAR offers a minimum detectable mass of 1.35 ng2 and is successfully implemented in a Pierce oscillator as a portable sensing module.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number5668490
Pages (from-to)213-220
Number of pages8
JournalJournal of Microelectromechanical Systems
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2011

Keywords

  • Acoustic resonators
  • Q factor
  • biomedical transducers
  • piezoelectric resonators

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A high-quality-factor film bulk acoustic resonator in liquid for biosensing applications'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this