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Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Polarization manipulation of surface acoustic waves by metallization patterns on a piezoelectric substrate
    (Melville, NY : AIP Publishing, 2020) Weser, R.; Darinskii, A.N.; Schmidt, H.
    Surface acoustic waves (SAWs) with large normal (vertical) surface displacement at the surface are commonly utilized in microfluidic actuators in order to provide the desired momentum transfer to the fluid. We present an alternative concept using a SAW with comparatively small vertical displacement. Such a SAW passes underneath the microfluidic vessel walls with minimum losses but it needs to be converted inside the vessel into surface vibrations with large vertical displacements. The principal operability of the above idea is illustrated by experimental and numerical studies of the polarization conversion of a leaky SAW on 64° rotated Y-cut of lithium niobate owing to the partial metallization of the substrate surface. In particular, it is found that vertical displacements on the metallized surface can be up to 3.5 times higher as compared to their values on the free surface. Results of computations agree reasonably well with measurements carried out with a laser Doppler vibrometer and allow the clarification of some specific features of this polarization conversion by means of spatial frequency analysis. © 2020 Author(s).
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    In situ surface acoustic wave field probing in microfluidic structures using optical transmission interferometry
    (Melville, NY : American Inst. of Physics, 2021) Weser, R.; Schmidt, H.
    The generation of mechanical driving forces in fluids at the microscale can be efficiently realized using acoustic actuators. For this purpose, bulk or surface acoustic waves (SAWs) are typically excited by an electroacoustic transducer, and the acoustic energy is subsequently coupled to the fluid. The resultant acoustic pressure field in the fluid allows for precise manipulation of immersed objects and also for the agitation of the fluid itself. In general, the fluidic actuation capability is mainly determined by the mechanical displacement amplitude at the interface between the fluid and the acoustically active surface. In the case of SAW-based actuators, the fluid most often is directly attached to the substrate surface along which the surface waves propagate. Hence, the lateral distribution of surface displacement amplitude, i.e., the surface acoustic wave field, at the fluid–substrate interface is of particular interest in order to achieve full control of the fluidic actuation. Here, we present a reliable experimental method for the in situ determination of the SAW field on fluid loaded substrate surfaces based on laser interferometry. The optical accessibility of the fluid–substrate interface is realized via transmission through the anisotropic, piezoelectric substrate material requiring only an additional calibration procedure in order to compensate the parasitic influence of effects based on different indices of refraction as well as on complex acousto-optic effects. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated to yield reliable results of displacement amplitude on the fluid loaded surface and thus, to provide a valuable insight into acoustofluidic coupling that was not available so far.
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    The complexity of surface acoustic wave fields used for microfluidic applications
    (Amsterdam [u.a.] : Elsevier, 2020) Weser, R.; Winkler, A.; Weihnacht, M.; Menzel, S.; Schmidt, H.
    Using surface acoustic waves (SAW) for the agitation and manipulation of fluids and immersed particles or cells in lab-on-a-chip systems has been state of the art for several years. Basic tasks comprise fluid mixing, atomization of liquids as well as sorting and separation (or trapping) of particles and cells, e.g. in so-called acoustic tweezers. Even though the fundamental principles governing SAW excitation and propagation on anisotropic, piezoelectric substrates are well-investigated, the complexity of wave field effects including SAW diffraction, refraction and interference cannot be comprehensively simulated at this point of time with sufficient accuracy. However, the design of microfluidic actuators relies on a profound knowledge of SAW propagation, including superposition of multiple SAWs, to achieve the predestined functionality of the devices. Here, we present extensive experimental results of high-resolution analysis of the lateral distribution of the complex displacement amplitude, i.e. the wave field, alongside with the electrical S-parameters of the generating transducers. These measurements were carried out and are compared in setups utilizing travelling SAW (tSAW) excited by single interdigital transducer (IDT), standing SAW generated between two IDTs (1DsSAW, 1D acoustic tweezers) and between two pairs of IDTs (2DsSAW, 2D acoustic tweezers) with different angular alignment in respect to pure Rayleigh mode propagation directions and other practically relevant orientations. For these basic configurations, typically used to drive SAW-based microfluidics, the influence of common SAW phenomena including beam steering, coupling coefficient dispersion and diffraction on the resultant wave field is investigated. The results show how tailoring of the acoustic conditions, based on profound knowledge of the physical effects, can be achieved to finally realize a desired behavior of a SAW-based microacoustic-fluidic system. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
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    Converse Magnetoelectric Composite Resonator for Sensing Small Magnetic Fields
    (London : Nature Publishing Group, 2019) Hayes, P.; Jovičević Klug, M.; Toxværd, S.; Durdaut, P.; Schell, V.; Teplyuk, A.; Burdin, D.; Winkler, A.; Weser, R.; Fetisov, Y.; Höft, M.; Knöchel, R.; McCord, J.; Quandt, E.
    Magnetoelectric (ME) thin film composites consisting of sputtered piezoelectric (PE) and magnetostrictive (MS) layers enable for measurements of magnetic fields passively, i.e. an AC magnetic field directly generates an ME voltage by mechanical coupling of the MS deformation to the PE phase. In order to achieve high field sensitivities a magnetic bias field is necessary to operate at the maximum piezomagnetic coefficient of the MS phase, harnessing mechanical resonances further enhances this direct ME effect size. Despite being able to detect very small AC field amplitudes, exploiting mechanical resonances directly, implies a limitation to available signal bandwidth along with the inherent inability to detect DC or very low frequency magnetic fields. The presented work demonstrates converse ME modulation of thin film Si cantilever composites of mesoscopic dimensions (25 mm × 2.45 mm × 0.35 mm), employing piezoelectric AlN and magnetostrictive FeCoSiB films of 2 µm thickness each. A high frequency mechanical resonance at about 515 kHz leads to strong induced voltages in a surrounding pickup coil with matched self-resonance, leading to field sensitivities up to 64 kV/T. A DC limit of detection of 210 pT/Hz1/2 as well as about 70 pT/Hz1/2 at 10 Hz, without the need for a magnetic bias field, pave the way towards biomagnetic applications.