TSM-AW Sensors Based on Miller XCOs for Microgravimetric Measurements in Liquid Media

Up to now, the success of the design of quartz crystal-controlled oscillators (XCOs) based on high-stability classical configurations for uses as microgravimetric thickness-shear-mode acoustic-wave (TSM-AW) sensors in damping media has strongly depended on the ability and experience of the designer. The conditions of strong damping that quartz experiences imply the necessity to adapt the designs so that the oscillation stays in spite of the reduction of its quality factor. Despite all the efforts developed by various authors, a methodology of the design of electronic circuit oscillators for their use in damping media does not exist yet. This is due to the difficulty of the study of the oscillation condition and its possible optimization as a function of the application. In this paper, we propose a methodology to aid designers in developing TSM-AW sensors for high-resolution microgravimetrical applications in liquid media, such as detection of chemical species, biosensors for molecular recognition, etc. Approaches are presented to carry out sensor oscillators based on the Miller topology.

[1]  R. Torresi,et al.  Calibration of the Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance , 1991 .

[2]  C. Gabrielli,et al.  Biosensors based on piezoelectric transducers , 1999 .

[3]  J. Gordon,et al.  The oscillation frequency of a quartz resonator in contact with liquid , 1985 .

[4]  Stephen J. Martin,et al.  Characterization of a quartz crystal microbalance with simultaneous mass and liquid loading , 1991 .

[5]  J. Gagnepain,et al.  Environmental sensitivities of quartz oscillators , 1992, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.

[6]  Peter Hauptmann,et al.  Quartz crystal microbalance sensor in liquids , 1994 .

[7]  M. Keddam,et al.  Electrochemical Quartz Crystal Microbalance Corrosion Sensor for Solid Metals and Metal Alloys Application to the Dissolution of 304 Stainless Steel , 2001 .

[8]  L. Rodriguez-Pardo,et al.  Design Considerations of Miller Oscillators for High-Sensitivity QCM Sensors in Damping Media , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.

[9]  J. Vig.  Introduction to Quartz Frequency Standards , 1992 .

[10]  L. Rodriguez-Pardo,et al.  Methodology of design of electronic circuit oscillators for QCM sensors in liquid media , 2004, Proceedings of the 2004 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and Exposition, 2004..

[11]  G. Sauerbrey.  Verwendung von Schwingquarzen zur Wägung dünner Schichten und zur Mikrowägung , 1959 .

[12]  John G. Webster,et al.  The Measurement, Instrumentation and Sensors Handbook , 1998 .

[13]  J. F. Werner,et al.  Crystal Oscillator Design and Temperature Compensation , 1979 .

[14]  Jose Farina,et al.  Simulation of QCM sensors based on high stability classical oscillator configurations in damping media , 2007 .

[15]  Yolanda Jiménez,et al.  Circuit for continuous motional series resonant frequency and motional resistance monitoring of quartz crystal resonators by parallel capacitance compensation , 2002 .

[16]  G. Marianneau,et al.  Computer aided design of quartz crystal oscillators , 1995, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.

[17]  S. Cosnier,et al.  Biotinylated Polypyrrole Modified Quartz Crystal Microbalance for the Fast and Reagentless Determination of Avidin Concentration , 2001 .

[18]  C. Gabrielli,et al.  Biosensors based on piezolectric transducers , 1999 .

[19]  D. M. Soares.  A quartz microbalance with the capability of viscoelasticity measurements for in situ electrochemical investigations , 1993 .

[20]  Benjamin Parzen,et al.  Design of Crystal and Other Harmonic Oscillators , 1983 .

[21]  G. W. Maton.  Crystal Oscillator Circuits , 1985 .

[22]  A. Taroni,et al.  Improving the accuracy and operating range of quartz microbalance sensors by a purposely designed oscillator circuit , 2000, Proceedings of the 17th IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference [Cat. No. 00CH37066].

[23]  C. Barnes,et al.  Development of quartz crystal oscillators for under-liquid sensing , 1991 .

[24]  Kurt O. Wessendorf,et al.  The Lever oscillator for use in high resistance resonator applications , 1993, 1993 IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium.

[25]  L. Rodriguez-Pardo,et al.  Resolution in quartz crystal oscillator circuits for high sensitivity microbalance sensors in damping media , 2004 .

[26]  J. Schroder,et al.  Is an oscillator-based measurement adequate in a liquid environment? , 2002, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control.