78 1

, A Mass-Loading Effect LiNb03SAW Sensor*

Zheng Zhang, Dazhong Zhu and Zhelong Huang
Department of Information and Electronic Engineering,
Zhejiang University, 20 Yugu Road, Hangzhou, China, 310027
Tel: +86-571-7951705; Fax:+86-571-7952116; Email: zhangz79@21ra~.c~m

Abstract A double acoustic wave paths structure is also

A mass-loading effect SAW sensor with a quadrate
(3mmx3mm) mass-loading effect groove is presented.
Its input and output IDTs have 40 pairs and 60 pairs of
aluminum electrodes respectively. A photoresist layer
is covered on the surface of LiNbO, substrate to
protect the aluminum electrodes and to construct the
quadrate groove in the center of the sonic path. The
tiny loading mass in this groove leads into a tiny
center frequency shift of the SAW sensor. The loading
mass density can be obtained from the frequency shift
and the sensitivity curve. This kind of SAW mass-
loading effect sensor can be used in direct
measurement and dual SAW sonic path comparative
measurement. The input and output IDTs can be
worked in direct mode and oscillator mode connected
with a high gain wide band amplifier. The testing
results show that this mass-loading effect sensor
possesses a better sensitivity (S=21.2nglppm*cmz in
direct sensing and S=3.82ng/ppm*cm2 in comparative
sensing) and a higher linearity ( 6 = A / Sav =3.1%)
than the previous report[3].
suggested in order to compare testing results. One
sonic path with testing loading mass works as a
sensing path, while the other without testing loading
mass works as a reference one. With twochannel
network analyzer, it’s convenient to test, compare and
analyze the tiny frequency shift.
The input and output IDTs can be worked in oscillator
mode and a very high Q value can be achieved to
increase the sensitivity ofthis sensor.
This device is competitive in real-time liquid
components analyzing. For example, it can be an
ingenious unit for addressable and real-time testing
biochips. 121
It.Device Structure & Operation Principle
The structure of the mass-loading effect SAW sensor
is shown in Fig.1.

I. Introduction
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices such as
interdigital transducers (IDT), tap delay line (TDL).
oscillator and resonator are widely used in many types
of sensors. They are always worked as a sensor signal
source and a sensing signal receiver in the frequency
range of several MHz to several hundred MHZ. [l] [31
In this paper a SAW sensor based on mass-loading
effect of the sonic path is suggested. A quadrate mass-
loading effect groove, which can be used to
acwmmodate some liquid and measure some special
ingredient content, is constructed on the sonic path by
photoresist (or polyimide). As a result of mass-loading
effect, the tiny loading mass in this groove leads into a
tiny frequency shift of the SAW sensor.
I I L1NDu3 1, photoresist
chemical selective film
Fig.1 Structure of the mass-loading effect Limo,
SAW sensor
A SAW oscillator with two IDTs is fabricated on 128’
Xcut LiNb03 substrate. The input and output
interdigital transducers (DT)are placed on the both
sides of the mass-loading area on the SAW
transporting path. The input IDT contains 40 pairs of
electrodes and the output IDT contains 60 pairs. The
distance between midsections of two IDTs is 5.694-
and acoustic apeaure is 2.ooOmm.

* lhis project is supported by Natural ScienceFoundation of China and Zhejiang F’rovincial Natural Science Foundation, China

0-7803-6520-8/01/$10.00 02001 IEEE.

,782

A layer of photoresist (about 3um in depth) is

deposited on the surface of w, to shield the
aluminum electrodes and to absorb undesired SAW
reflected from the exteriority of the path. A quadrate
groove (3mmx3mm) is in the center of photoresist
layer to contain a little of testing liquid.

When some solution is dropped directly into the

quadrate groove, a film will form after the evaporation
of the solvent. As a result of the mass-loading effect,
the loading mass will cause the change of the SAW
propagation velocity and the shift of oscillating
fresuency correspondingly [3]:

2
4f=@o A (mh + R Z +k3) (1)
Fig2 Testing principle of the dual sonic path SAW
sensor
f.: the center operation frequency of the device
K : the coverage mtio of the qua&ate groove over the TO test the masS-loadingeffect on this SAW delay line,
center distance of the two IDTs some solution is dropped directly into the quadrate
. surface particle velocities in the 3-
IC,,: the normalmd groove on the surface of LiNbO, substrate to form a
main coordinatedirection a thin film in the quadrate groove.

JJI. Testing Result

120
The testing schematic is presented in Rg.2. As long as
both the ampser has sufficient gain and the operation
fiquency meets the following phase equation, the
-
-

’
90
oscillator loop will be oscillated:
a
2mdf/v+#f =2nn (2)
g
w
60

d: The distance between midsections of input and 4 30

output IDTs Q
v: SAWvelocity
0, : Feedback loop phase shift 0
n: Aninteger 0 4 8 12 16
mass density of sucrose in the quadrate groove
m(ug/cm2)
Fig3 Mass-loading effect testing results of the
single delay b e structure
 783

When testing the dual delay line SAW sensor, the lul NaCl solution ( l a ) is dropped to form the film in
frequency response without mass-loading effect is the quadrate groove. As a result of mass-loading effect,
shown in Rg.4.The dual delay line structure shows the center frequency chapges from marker1 (bottom)
excellence symmetry and coherence. The frequency to marker2 (top) and an obvious shift of the frequency
response (in oscillator mode) after mass-loading effect (475KHz) is obtained. The sensitivity
is shown in FigS. (3.82ng/ppm*cm2) is improved greatly.

il Jun 2681 16:49:58

CH1

Mg.4 Frequency response of the SAW dual delay Line before mass-loadingeffect
C H 1 (sensing) and CH2 (reference) show dual delay line structure with excellence
symmetry yd coherence
784

N.Conclusion Reference

This mass-loading effect sensor with a quadrate mass- [l] Konig B. et al, Analytical Chemical Acta, 281,
loading effect groove made by photoresist (or p.13-18 (1993)
polyimide) shows an excellent characteristic of a [2] David Stipp, Fortune, p.56-73 (Mar. 31,1997)
higher sensitivity (S- A d r / df=21.2ng/ppm*cm2) [3] Joshua J. Caron, Reichl B. Haskell, Patrick Benoit,
and a higher linearity ( 6 = A / S =3.1%) than and John E Vetelino, ZEEE Transactions on
previous report [3]. The dual channel comparative ultrasonics, ferroelectrics and frequency control,
measurement in oscillator mode offers a flexible and V0145, NO 5, p.1393-1398 (1998)
accurate way for testing. A high sensitivity
(S=3.82ng/ppm*cm2) is obtained because of the
oscillator mode and the application of photoresist (or
plyimide) layer, which absorbs the parasitic high
harmonic.

I1 Jun 2881 17:16:1B

cn2

STOP 178.068 0 8 8 MHz

Figs Frequency response of the SAW delay line in oscillator mode

CH1 (sensing): after mass-loading effect. Frequency peak f, is at marker 2
CA2 (reference): wiulout mass-loading effect. Frequency peak f2 is at marker 1
Af=& -A 475KAz Ad=ll.lug/an*