Super high sensitive plate acoustic wave humidity sensor based on graphene oxide film.

The changes of density and elastic modules due to water vapor adsorption are measured for graphene oxide film at room temperature. Dominant mechanism for acoustic wave humidity sensing by the film is shown to be related with variation of its electric conductivity. Basing on the data, super high sensitive humidity sensor employing high-order Lamb wave with large coupling constant, standard lithium niobate plate, and graphene oxide sorbent film is developed. The minimal detectable level of the sensor is as low 0.03% RH, response times are 60/120s, and reproducibility is ±2.5%. The sensor is completely selective towards H2, CO, CH4, NO, O2.

Anisotropy of the acoustic plate modes in ST-quartz and 128°Y-LiNbO(3).

Orientation dependences of the phase velocity vn, coupling coefficient Kn(2), and power flow angle Ψ(n) for zero-order and high-order acoustic modes are calculated numerically in ST-quartz and 128°Y-LiNbO(3) plates with normalized thickness h/λ = 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, and 1.67 (n is the mode order, θ is the angle between propagation direction and the x-axis, h is the thickness, and λ is the wavelength). Results of the calculations are experimentally verified using 128°YLiNbO(3) plates with h/λ = 1.0, 1.67 and θ = 0°, 30°, 60°, 90° as examples.

Propagation of the Anisimkin Jr.' and quasi-longitudinal acoustic plate modes in low-symmetry crystals of arbitrary orientation.

The Anisimkin Jr. (AN) acoustic plate mode having dominant and depth-independent longitudinal displacement (u(1) >> u(2), u(3); u(1) ≈ constant) is numerically found in tetragonal 4mm Li(2)B(4)O(7) crystal with one of the low-symmetry orientations (Euler angles 89°, 37°, 104°), as an example. The quasi-longitudinal (QL) modes with dominant and depth-dependent longitudinal displacement (u(1) >> u(2), u(3); u(1) ≠ constant) are experimentally detected along several propagation directions Θ in 128°y-LiNbO(3) plate, where Θ = 0°, 30°, 60°, and 90° with respect to the x-axis. Compared with more symmetrical plate materials and orientations, the displacement profiles of the AN and QL modes in lower-symmetry counterparts are qualitatively the same, but their phase profiles are more complicated. Moreover, like any acoustic wave, all plate modes in anisotropic crystals suffer from beam steering, in general. The power flow angles of the modes propagating in a fixed direction are different and depend on the mode order n.

General properties of the Anisimkin Jr. plate modes.

Acoustic plate modes of different orders n, having equal velocities v(n) close to that of the longitudinal BAW v(L), are numerically studied in crystals of different symmetries. Three families of the modes with v(n) ≈ v(L), each at relevant plate thickness h/λ = (h/λ)n, are found (h is the thickness, λ is the wavelength): the generalized Lamb mode with comparable longitudinal u1, shear-horizontal u2, and shear-vertical u3 displacements, the Anisimkin Jr. (AN) mode with u1 >> u2 and u3, and u1 ≈ constant ≠ 0 at any depth, and the quasilongitudinal (QL) mode with u1 > u2, and u3, but u1 ≠ constant over the plate thickness. Existence of the families does not depend on anisotropy or piezoelectric properties of the plate, but on the closeness of the mode velocity v(n) to the BAW velocity v(L), the value of the dispersion slope dv(n)/d(h/λ) at v(n) = v(L) and h/λ = (h/λ)n, and the proximity of the plate thickness (h/λ)n supporting the mode, to the thickness (h/λ)R providing transverse BAW resonance between plate faces. The Lamb modes approach v(n) = v(L) at irregular (h/λ)n far from resonance (h/λ)R and at large dv(n)/d(h/λ) ~10(3) m/s. The two other modes are characterized by lower dispersion dv(n)/d(h/λ) ≤ 10(3) m/s and regular (h/λ)n close to the resonance (h/λ)R. Because both modes have small vertical displacement on plate faces and propagate almost entirely within the crystals, they are attractive for liquid sensing.

Attenuation of acoustic normal modes in piezoelectric plates loaded by viscous liquids.

Attenuation cac versus viscosity eta of adjacent liquid is measured for each normal mode n generated in 30 different plates of commercially available, piezoelectric crystals with thickness-to-wavelength ratio in the range h/lamda = 0.6 - 2.5. Two modes with an optimal combination of sensitivity (0.1 dB/mm x cP), insertion loss (<35 dB), and stop-band rejection (>15 dB) are found in liquid-loaded 128 degrees Y,X + 90 degrees - LiNbO3 with h/lamda = 1.67. Both modes are suited for viscosity measurements and other sensing tasks in viscous liquids. They have predominantly longitudinal displacement and large propagation velocity v(n), about 15,000 m/s.