Study of the mass sensitivity of SH-APM sensors with Maple V

Abstract

Shear horizontal acoustic plate mode (SH-APM) devices offer interesting possibilities to probe liquid or polymer physico-chemical properties. As many parameters can influence their sensitivity, our research on these sensors involves modelling. This was based on the `partial waves' method, and was carried out with the mathematical software Maple V. In this paper, we study the mass sensitivity of SH-APModes, in the case of a quartz plate covered by a copper phthalocyanine (CuPC) layer. The influence of multiple parameters on the sensor sensitivity was evaluated: sensitive coating nature and thickness, quartz plate thickness and crystallographic cut, transducer electrode periodicity and mode order. The results of modelling are compared to available experimental results (mainly the influence of an isotropic layer); and also to the mass sensitivity of SAW devices.