Micromachined silicon and polymer probes integrated with film-bulkacoustic-resonator mass sensors

Hao Zhang, Wei Pang, Eun Sok Kim, Hongyu Yu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper presents a novel micromachined probe with a miniature film-bulk-acoustic-resonator (FBAR) mass sensor integrated at the tip. The detailed fabrication processes for a silicon microprobe and an SU-8 microprobe are described and discussed. The electrical performances of FBARs integrated on both the microprobes were characterized and compared. The semiconducting silicon was found to degrade the FBAR's quality factor (Q) significantly, due to the GHz electromagnetic wave's energy loss in the low-resistivity silicon. Yet, the FBAR on the SU-8 probe was measured to have a higher Q than that on the silicon probe, as the SU-8 polymer material is highly resistive and electrically insulating. As an application demonstration, the fabricated SU-8 probe was successfully used in detecting Hg2+ concentration in liquids. The integration of a resonant mass sensor with a micromachined probe offers easy access to sensing environment with minimal disturbance to the environment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number125008
JournalJournal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
Volume20
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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