CAREER: Ultra-sensitive Real-time Acoustic Resonant Liquid Mass Sensor for Tag-free Disease Diagnostic Screening

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The objective of this reseasrch is to develop an innovative real-time acoustic resonant mass sensing platform in liquid environments. The approach is based on a new sensitive and real-time mass sensor, which will be characterized with various biomasses and coatings over various sensing diaphragms. Furthermore, the biomass testing will be extended to a real medical application. The intellectual merits of the proposed research include: 1) increase in the detection capacity of the FBAR by orders of magnitude by maintaining high Q in the liquid; 2) utilization of a sensing diaphragm to implement the novel concept of effective mass loading in the liquid by separating liquid damping effect from the operating frequency of the sensor; 3) improvement of Q by reducing energy loss; 4) reliable adaptability in wide range of operating temperatures; and 5) utilization of the ultra sensitive liquid mass sensor for disease diagnostic screening applications. Such rapid, simple and cost effective liquid mass sensors have the potential to transform the field of early disease detection and to make significant impact on various clinical and healthcare applications. As another broader impact, a new educational effort with interactive pedagogical approach will be implemented with an emphasis on reliability issues of micro-devices and systems. The education program will focus on increasing participation of underrepresented minorities, providing high school students with early exposure to (and career development opportunities in) micro/nanotechnology.