Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM)

In other words, a QCM sensor with dissipation measurement (QCMD sensor) is a quartz crystal microbalance resonator made of quartz piezoelectric material sandwiched between two metal electrodes. Its properties vary depending on the environment which make the sensor’s responses change. These responses are the resonance frequency and quality factor. As a result, with this device it is possible to measure the mass of a thin layer or shape of particles adsorbed at the surface of the sensor, viscosity of the surrounding liquid, etc.

A QCM measurement is a quartz crystal microbalance sensor register of its responses (resonance frequency and quality factor). The responses can be read-out in the time domain or in the frequency domain. Thus, this information can be represented in a graph of the relations’ response versus time or versus frequency. Moreover, a time domain QCM measurement is particularly useful to relate the response of the QCM sensor with a biological event in a given time, like the injection of a biological sample into the sensor surface where biological molecular interactions take place.

The quartz crystal microbalance price is generally quite affordable compared to other sensors’ technologies in the market. The QCM sensor price depends on its size, number of units, fundamental resonance frequency, electrode and coating materials. The coating is the material on top of the sensor’s electrodes.

If you wish to know the price for a specific QCM sensor, you can contact us mentioning the size, fundamental frequency, number of units and electrode material you look for. After that, we will be happy to provide a quotation.

AWSensors also offers other type of acoustic sensors, for instance the Love-SAW. You may also consider this acoustic technology for your application.