Solidly-mounted acoustic biosensor
AssigneeResonatia Diagnostics
InventorsDarren Waltz Branch, Matthew Jones
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Abstract
A solidly-mounted lateral field excitation sensor is described. The sensor includes a relatively thin layer of lithium niobate layered on a solid substrate (such as a silicon substrate). The sensor also includes a row of interdigital metallic fingers formed on the layer of lithium niobate. An active region of the sensor includes the row of interdigital metallic fingers and lithium niobate underlying the metallic fingers.
Claims20
An acoustic biosensor that is configured to receive a sample that comprises a microbial and an antimicrobial, the acoustic sensor comprising:
- a silicon substrate;
- a layer of lithium niobate on the silicon substrate;
- a first metallic comb structure formed on the layer of lithium niobate;
- and
- a second metallic comb structure mounted on the layer of lithium niobate, where fingers of the first metallic comb structure and the second metallic comb structure are in parallel with one another, and further where the acoustic biosensor is configured to emit an electrical signal based upon an acoustic mode formed in the layer of lithium niobate when at least one of a physical, chemical, or electrical interaction occurs between the microbial and the antimicrobial when the sample is placed in an active region of the acoustic biosensor, and further where the interaction is between a parameter of the microbial and the antimicrobial.
A method for operating a solidly-mounted lateral field excitation sensor, the method comprising:
- providing a sample to an active region of the sensor, where the active region comprises a row of interdigital metallic fingers mounted on a layer of lithium niobate, where the lithium niobate is on a solid substrate;
- and
- obtaining an electrical signal from the sensor, where the electrical signal is based upon an acoustic mode formed in the layer of lithium niobate while the sample is in the active region, and further where the electrical signal is indicative of existence of a biomarker in the sample.
A method for creating a solidly-mounted lateral field excitation sensor, the method comprising:
- forming a row of interdigital metallic fingers on a layer of lithium niobate, where the layer of lithium niobate is mounted upon a solid silicon substrate, and further where an active region of the sensor comprises the interdigital metallic fingers;
- and
- applying metallic bussing to at least one metallic finger in the interdigital metallic fingers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.