Recent developments in thin film electro-acoustic technology for biosensor applications

The article reviews recent developments of the thin film electro-acoustic (TEA) technology in view of the design and fabrication of micro-acoustic transducers for biosensor applications. The use of the TEA technology leads to transducer miniaturisation, compatibility with the IC technology, possibility for multiplexing, decrease in fabrication cost, reduction of consumables, mass fabrication, etc. Focus lies on the design, fabrication and evaluation of the transducer performance in liquid media as judged by electro-acoustic behaviour and ultimately by mass and viscosity resolution. The analysis draws the conclusion that the thickness excited quasi-shear thin film bulk acoustic resonator technology is far ahead in its development with regard to other alternative approaches in terms of both performance and level of maturity. Consequently, the main aspects of the quasi-shear thin film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) technology from film synthesis and fabrication through to performance evaluation and demonstration are reviewed in detail.