Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Sensors (Basel). 2022 Apr 13;22(8):2994. doi: 10.3390/s22082994.
Resonating MEMS mass sensors are microdevices with broad applications in fields such as bioscience and biochemistry. Their advantageous surface-to-volume ratio makes their resonant frequency highly sensitive to variations in their mass induced by surface depositions. Recent global challenges, such as water quality monitoring or pandemic containment, have increased the need for low-cost (even disposable), rapidly fabricated microdevices as suitable detectors. Resonant MEMS mass sensors are among the best candidates. This paper introduces a simple and robust fabrication of polymeric piezoelectric resonating MEMS mass sensors. The microfabrication technology replaces the traditional layer-by-layer micromachining techniques with laser micromachining to gain extra simplicity. Membrane-based resonant sensors have been fabricated to test the technology. Their characterization results have proven that the technology is robust with good reproducibility (around 2% batch level variations in the resonant frequency). Initial tests for the MEMS mass sensors' sensitivity have indicated a sensitivity of 340 Hz/ng. The concept could be a starting point for developing low-cost MEMS sensing solutions for pandemic control, health examination, and pollution monitoring.
谐振式微机电系统 (MEMS) 质量传感器是一种在生物科学和生物化学等领域具有广泛应用的微器件。其较大的表面积与体积比使它们的共振频率对表面沉积引起的质量变化非常敏感。最近的全球性挑战，如水质监测或大流行控制，增加了对低成本（甚至一次性）、快速制造的微器件作为合适探测器的需求。谐振式 MEMS 质量传感器就是其中的最佳候选者之一。本文介绍了一种简单而稳健的聚合物压电谐振式 MEMS 质量传感器的制造方法。该微制造技术用激光微加工取代了传统的逐层微加工技术，从而获得了额外的简单性。已经制造了基于膜的谐振传感器来测试该技术。其特性测试结果表明，该技术具有良好的重复性（在共振频率方面，批处理水平的变化约为 2%）。对 MEMS 质量传感器灵敏度的初步测试表明，其灵敏度为 340 Hz/ng。该概念可以为开发用于大流行控制、健康检查和污染监测的低成本 MEMS 传感解决方案提供一个起点。
