High quality factor resonators for liquid immersion biological and chemical sensors
First Claim
1. A sensor subassembly for use in fluid immersion applications, the sensor subassembly comprising:
- one or more membranes, each said membrane having a sensor surface and a back surface facing away from said sensor surface, wherein each said sensor surface is in contact with a fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly, and wherein each said back surface is not in contact with said fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly;
a frame around said one or more membranes and attached to perimeters of said one or more membranes, whereby each of said one or more membranes can act as a mechanical resonator during operation of said sensor subassembly;
one or more pressure-release boundary regions, disposed on said frame in proximity to said one or more membranes and in contact with said fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly;
wherein said pressure-release boundary regions have a smaller mechanical impedance than said fluid at interfaces between said pressure-release boundary regions and said fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mechanical resonator capable of providing an intrinsically high mechanical quality factor in immersion is provided. The resonator includes a membrane attached at its perimeter to a frame, such that a front side of the membrane is in contact with the liquid, and the back side of the membrane is not in contact with the liquid or the frame. The membrane can act as a mechanical resonator. The quality factor of this resonator is enhanced by providing a pressure release boundary region on the frame in proximity to the membrane and in contact with the liquid. The pressure release boundary region provides a soft boundary condition, in the sense that a mechanical impedance on the solid side of the solid-liquid interface is less than the liquid mechanical impedance. Providing such a soft boundary condition reduces the mechanical energy loss due to excitation of waves in the liquid, thereby improving resonator quality factor. Such high-Q resonators are particularly useful for sensor applications.
20 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A sensor subassembly for use in fluid immersion applications, the sensor subassembly comprising:
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one or more membranes, each said membrane having a sensor surface and a back surface facing away from said sensor surface, wherein each said sensor surface is in contact with a fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly, and wherein each said back surface is not in contact with said fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly; a frame around said one or more membranes and attached to perimeters of said one or more membranes, whereby each of said one or more membranes can act as a mechanical resonator during operation of said sensor subassembly; one or more pressure-release boundary regions, disposed on said frame in proximity to said one or more membranes and in contact with said fluid during operation of said sensor subassembly; wherein said pressure-release boundary regions have a smaller mechanical impedance than said fluid at interfaces between said pressure-release boundary regions and said fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification