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

Shear horizontal acoustic plate mode (SH-APM) devices offer interesting pos sibilities to probe liquid or polymer physico-chemical properties. As many parameters can influence their sensitivity, our research on these sensors i nvolves modelling. This was based on the 'partial waves' method, and was ca rried out with the mathematical software Maple V. In this paper, we study t he 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 thic kness, quartz plate thickness and crystallographic cut, transducer electrod e periodicity and mode order. The results of modelling are compared to avai lable experimental results (mainly the influence of an isotropic layer); an d also to the mass sensitivity of SAW devices. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S. A. All rights reserved.