Role of mass accumulation and viscoelastic film properties for the response of acoustic-wave based chemical sensors

The sensitivity of acoustic-wave microsensors coated with a viscoelastic film to mass changes and film modulus (changes) is examined. The study analyzes the acoustic load at the interface between the acoustic device and the coating. The acoustic load carries information about surface mass and film modulus; its determination has no restrictions in film thickness. Two regimes of film behavior can be distinguished: the gravimetric regime, where the sensor response is mainly mass sensitive, and the non-gravimetric regime, where viscoelasticity gains influence on the sensor response. We develop a method, which allows the assignment of the sensor signal to a gravimetric or a nongravimetric response. The critical value can be determined from oscillator measurements. The related limits for the coating thickness are not the same for the coating procedure and mass accumulation during chemical sensing. As an example, we present results from a 10 MHz quartz crystal resonator.