Temperature compensated surface-launched acoustic wave sensor
US6378370B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0427
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for improving temperature stability of surface-launched acoustic wave sensors is described. The system includes a plurality of acoustic wave delay lines or resonators coated with identical films which are physically, chemically, biologically, or otherwise sensitive to one or more target chemical or biological analytes. At least one of the delay lines or resonators, referred to herein as reference channels, is used as a frequency reference to which the oscillation frequencies of the remainder of the delay lines or resonators, referred to as sensing channels, are compared. A thin coating of material that is preferably a passivation layer not sensitive to the analytes, is disposed upon the surface-launched acoustic wave sensor. The passivation layer covers sensing films on the reference channels, blocking or impeding interaction of the sensing films and the analytes thereby. The passivation layer is covered by the sensing films on the sensing channels, allowing interaction between the sensing films and the analytes thereby. All reference and sensing channels are preferably configured as oscillators, whereby effects of temperature fluctuation can be reduced signi…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.