Various embodiments of an apparatus for measuring binding kinetics of an interaction of an analyte material present in a fluid sample are disclosed. The apparatus includes a sensing resonator having at least one binding site for the analyte material; actuation circuitry adapted to drive the sensing resonator into an oscillating motion; measurement circuitry coupled to the sensing resonator and adapted to measure an output signal of the sensing resonator representing resonance characteristics of the oscillating motion of the sensing resonator; and a controller coupled to the actuation and measurement circuitry, wherein the controller is adapted to detect an individual binding event between the at least one binding site and a molecule of the analyte material.

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.

There are provided a sensor element and a sensor device having high measurement accuracy by improving temperature characteristics. A sensor element includes an element substrate, a detection portion located on an upper surface of the element substrate, and a protective film covering at least a first IDT electrode and a second IDT electrode. The element substrate is formed of quartz and has the following Euler angles, =0, 97.2128.9, and 8595. An expression 0<tc0.17 is satisfied, in which tc denotes a thickness of a part of the protective film covering the first IDT electrode and the second IDT electrode, namely denotes a thickness standardized by a wavelength (m) of a surface acoustic wave.

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.

A quartz crystal microbalance, QCM, sensor apparatus comprising a fluid selector unit for selectively placing a sample fluid container in fluid connection with a measurement cell formed above a QCM sensor, said fluid selector unit having a plurality of inlet ports, a sensor outlet configured to be in fluid connection with said sensor, and a valve arrangement for selectively connecting one of said inlets to said outlet. The fluid selector unit is sandwiched between the fluid sample containers and the sample holder, and the sample fluid containers, fluid selector unit and sensor holder are arranged in a compartment of a thermally insulating housing, an interior of the compartment having a substantially homogeneous temperature. The invention facilitates temperature control, such as maintaining a stable temperature and ensuring a desired temperature change.

A measurement assembly for measuring a deposition rate of an evaporated material is described. The measurement assembly includes an oscillation crystal for measuring the deposition rate, a measurement outlet for providing evaporated material to the oscillation crystal, and a magnetic closing mechanism configured for opening and closing the measurement outlet by magnetic force.

A device for cost-effective and sensitive diagnostics is provided to detect environmental contaminants, diseases, and acute medical conditions related to heart failure. The device 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 least one monolayer. Measured parameters from the five disks illustratively include Q-factors, impedance, dissipation factors (D) and frequency shift (f). Q-factors are used to calculate the Allan deviation () and measured frequencies are converted to mass sensitivity using the Sauerbrey mass sensitivity coefficient (K).

The present disclosure relates to an interface for a measuring transducer for receiving and processing measured data, comprising an input, an output, and an acoustic coupler having an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver, wherein the acoustic transmitter and the acoustic receiver are acoustically coupled to each other, wherein the acoustic transmitter is connected to the input, and the acoustic receiver is connected to the output, such that the input is galvanically isolated from the output.

Devices, systems, methods, and kits of parts for monitoring operation of an electron beam additive manufacturing systems are disclosed. A monitoring system includes one or more measuring devices positioned on the at least one wall in the interior of a build chamber of the additive manufacturing system. Each one of the one or more measuring devices includes a piezoelectric crystal. The monitoring system further includes an analysis component communicatively coupled to the one or more measuring devices. The analysis component is programmed to receive information pertaining to a frequency of oscillation of the piezoelectric crystal. A collection of material on the one or more measuring devices during formation of an article within the build chamber causes a change to the frequency of oscillation of the piezoelectric crystal that is detectable by the analysis component and usable to determine a potential build anomaly of the article.

Surface modifications and improvements to piezoelectric-based sensors, such as QCMs and other piezoelectric devices, that significantly increase the sensitivity and the specificity (selectivity). These modifications can comprise mechanical and chemical changes to the surfaces of the sensors, either individually or together. For example, nanosize structures may be provided on the surface to improve sensitivity. Additionally, chemical coatings may be tethered to the surfaces, walls, or crystal to provide targeted sensitivity. Additionally, porous, layered and multiple senor arrays may be formed to enhance sensitivity and selectivity.