Operational configuration and temperature compensation methods are provided for bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonator devices suitable for operating with liquids. Temperature compensation methods dispense with a need for temperature sensing, instead utilizing a relationship between (i) change in frequency of a BAW resonator at a phase with adequate sensitivity and (ii) change in frequency of a phase that is correlated to temperature. Operational configuration methods include determination of an initial phase response of a BAW resonator in which temperature coefficient of frequency is zero, followed by comparison of sensitivity to a level of detection threshold for a phenomenon of interest.

A device for detecting environmental contaminants, diseases, and acute medical conditions related to heart failure identifies pathogens or troponins before infection or damage to heart muscles using an ultrasensitive high Q-factor AT-cut quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) that can measure from a single pg to a single fg. The device has a set of five disks of a QCM with a 10 mm diameter and a full coated bottom electrode, with an upper electrode with a center dot with different diameters labelled as 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm. The full coating denoting an electrically continuous thickness of at last one monolayer. Measured parameters from the five disks include Q-factors, impedance, dissipation factors (D) and frequency shift (f). Q-factors are used to calculate the Allman deviation () and measured frequencies are converted to mass sensitivity using the Sauerbrey mass sensitivity coefficient (K).

Sensors, as well as systems and methods of using the same are provided. Aspects of the sensors include a piezoelectric base, a plurality of surface-associated compositions that are stably associated with the piezoelectric base, and a plurality of crosslinking compositions that are configured to crosslink one or more surface-associated compositions in the presence of an analyte. The sensors, systems and methods described herein find use in a variety of applications, including the detection of an analyte in a sample.

Apparatus for performing multiple different measurements on a small specimen sample, enabling testing and diagnoses in real time at the point of care are described. The core of the apparatus includes an ultrasonic resonator cavity where acoustic resonances are used to determine the speed of sound and sound attenuation in a single droplet. Acoustic measurements are made in the reflection mode using electrical impedance of a small piezoelectric crystal transducer that operates in the thickness longitudinal mode. Combination of this technology with electromagnetic, electrical, and magnetic fields permits multiple types of measurements to be made using the same resonator cavity.

A sensor apparatus capable of measuring an analyte with excellent sensitivity is provided. A sensor apparatus includes an element substrate; a detecting section disposed on an upper surface of the element substrate, the detecting element including a reaction section having an immobilization film to detect an analyte, a first IDT electrode configured to generate an acoustic wave which propagates toward the reaction section, and a second IDT electrode configured to receive the acoustic wave which has passed through the reaction section; and a protective film which covers the first IDT electrode and the second IDT electrode. The element substrate is configured so that a region where the reaction section is located is at a lower level than a region where the first IDT electrode is located and a region where the second IDT electrode is located.

An acoustic receiver and method for acoustic logging. The acoustic receiver comprises a housing and a sensor subassembly, which is located within the housing. The sensor subassembly comprises a mount and a cylindrical piezoelectric crystal coupled to the mount. The sensor subassembly also comprises an isolation ring positioned between one of the ends of the cylindrical piezoelectric crystal and the mount. The isolation ring directly engages the crystal and the mount. The method of acoustic logging comprises receiving an acoustic signal using an acoustic receiver, which comprises a cylindrical piezoelectric crystal coupled to a mount without an adhesive material. The method also comprises converting the acoustic signal into an electrical signal by the cylindrical piezoelectric crystal and transmitting the electrical signal to a processor via a conductor coupled to the cylindrical piezoelectric crystal.

Disclosed herein are devices for measuring, at one or more time points, one or more properties or changes in properties of a fluid sample. The devices may comprise a chamber defining an internal volume of the device suitable for receiving and retaining the fluid sample; a plurality of layers, the plurality comprising at least a bottom layer below the chamber and at least a substrate layer above the chamber, wherein: the substrate layer is linked to at least one suspended beam at each end of its length; the suspended beam is located above the chamber, the suspended beam having a face capable of physical contact with the fluid sample; and the suspended beam is configured to oscillate upon application of an actuating signal to at least one electrically conductive path, which runs across the suspended beam. Related methods and uses are also disclosed.

A sensor apparatus capable of measuring an analyte with excellent sensitivity is provided. A sensor apparatus includes an element substrate; a detecting section disposed on an upper surface of the element substrate, the detecting element including a reaction section having an immobilization film to detect an analyte, a first IDT electrode configured to generate an acoustic wave which propagates toward the reaction section, and a second IDT electrode configured to receive the acoustic wave which has passed through the reaction section; and a protective film which covers the first IDT electrode and the second IDT electrode. The element substrate is configured so that a region where the reaction section is located is at a lower level than a region where the first IDT electrode is located and a region where the second IDT electrode is located.

A method for operating an optical apparatus (100A, 100B, 200), having a structural element (201) which is arranged in a residual gas atmosphere (RGA) of the apparatus and which is formed at least partly from an element material subjected to a chemical reduction process and/or an etching process with a plasma component (PK) present in the residual gas atmosphere includes: feeding (S2) a gas component (GK) that at least partly suppresses the reduction process depending on a detected suppression extent (UM) for a suppression of the etching process and/or reduction process by the suppressing gas component in the residual gas atmosphere; and detecting (S1) the suppression extent with a sensor unit (208) arranged in the residual gas atmosphere. The sensor unit includes a sensor material section (211) composed of a sensor material and exhibiting a sensor section property that is measurable under the influence of the suppressing gas component.

A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor includes a crystal plate, a buffer layer, and an electrode. The crystal plate has a first surface and a second surface. The second surface is opposite the first surface. The buffer layer includes a first buffer layer and a second buffer layer. The first buffer layer is disposed on the first surface of the crystal plate, the second buffer layer is disposed on the second surface of the crystal plate. The electrode includes a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode is disposed on the first buffer layer. The second electrode is disposed on the second buffer layer. The electrode includes at least one of titanium, scandium, beryllium, cobalt, yttrium, zirconium, technetium, ruthenium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, lutetium, hafnium, rhenium, osmium, americium, curium, berkelium, and californium.