QCM with electrode configuration based on distribution of area for improving mass sensitivity (DAIS)

A quartz crystal microbalance comprising a pair of electrodes and a quartz crystal disposed therebetween, one said electrode operable as a sensing electrode for interacting with an analyte, wherein said sensing electrode comprises an array of sensing electrode members arranged on the quartz crystal, and wherein the sensing electrode members comprise a central sensing electrode member and one or more peripheral sensing electrode members for placement around the central sensing electrode member, optionally wherein one or more said peripheral sensing electrode members contact or at least partially overlap with the central sensing electrode member, and optionally wherein the central sensing electrode member is sized about equal or larger than the peripheral sensing electrode members.

A quartz crystal microbalance comprising sensing and reference electrodes and a generally planar quartz crystal having opposed first and second surfaces respectively for contacting the sensing and reference electrodes, the sensing electrode being for interacting with an analyte, and the sensing and reference electrodes being generally aligned in a direction along a depth of the quartz crystal, wherein the sensing electrode comprises an array of sensing electrode members arranged on the quartz crystal, and wherein the sensing electrode members comprise a central sensing electrode member and one or more peripheral sensing electrode members for placement around the central sensing electrode member.