Abstract:
A surface acoustic wave sensor or identification device has a piezoelectric material, and an interdigitated transducer (IDT) input/output mounted on the piezoelectric material for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and propagating a corresponding surface acoustic wave along a surface of the piezoelectric material. An IDT finger electrode array is mounted on the piezoelectric material and is operable to communicate with the IDT input/output for transmission of a modified RF signal from the device. The IDT finger electrode array has at least one finger electrode segment whose propagating characteristics are controlled to control the nature of the modified RF signal. A biolayer is mounted on the piezoelectric material and is associated with the finger electrode segment, and a fluidic chamber is associated with the biolayer. In use, the fluidic chamber contains fluid which, if a predetermined substance to be sensed or detected is present, operates to modify the biolayer which in turn controls the nature of the modified RF signal.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/729,920 filed Dec. 9, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,967,428 the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF INVENTION 
   This invention relates to surface acoustic wave sensors or identification devices with biosensing capability. 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   The invention described and claimed in parent application Ser. No. 10/729,920 provides a surface acoustic wave sensor or identification device having a piezoelectric substrate, an interdigitated transducer (IDT) input/output mounted on the substrate for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and propagating a corresponding surface acoustic wave along a surface of the substrate, and an IDT reflector array mounted on the substrate and operable to receive the surface acoustic wave and reflect the surface acoustic wave in modified form back to the IDT input/output for transmission of a corresponding modified RF signal from the device. The IDT reflector array has at least one reflector sector whose reflectivity characteristics are controlled to control the nature of the modified RF signal. The device also includes at least one reflector segment having a fluidic chamber which in use contains fluid operable to control the nature of the reflected surface acoustic wave and hence the nature of the modified RF signal. 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a surface acoustic wave sensor or identification device of this kind which has a biolayer which is modified by the fluid in the fluidic chamber. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   According to the present invention, a surface acoustic wave sensor or identification device has a piezoelectric material, an interdigitated transducer (IDT) input/output mounted on the piezoelectric material for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal and propagating a corresponding acoustic wave along a surface of the piezoelectric material, an IDT finger electrode array mounted on the piezoelectric material and operable to communicate with the IDT input/output for transmission of a modified RF signal from the device, the IDT finger electrode array having at least one finger electrode segment whose propagating characteristics are controlled to control the nature of the modified RF signal, a biolayer mounted on the piezoelectric material and associated with the finger electrode segment, and a fluidic chamber associated with the biolayer and which in use contains fluid which, if a predetermined substance to be sensed or identified is present, operates to modify the biolayer which in turn controls the nature of the modified RF signal. 
   The acoustic wave generated by the IDT may be any one of the recognized types, for example Rayleigh, Surface Transverse Wave, etc. Also, in this application, the term “fluid” follows the accepted definition which, when taken in its broadest sense, includes materials in either the liquid or gaseous phase. 
   The IDT finger electrode array may comprise a reflector array or may comprise a modulated IDT array. 
   The fluidic chamber may have an inlet and an outlet whereby in use fluid flows through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. 
   The at least one finger electrode segment may have at least one pair of interdigitated fingers which communicate with the fluidic chamber. The at least one pair of interdigitated fingers may project into the chamber. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view of a SAW RFID biosensor device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a SAW RFID biosensor with multiple reflector arrays in accordance with another embodiment, 
       FIG. 3  is a similar view of an RFID biosensor with selectable IDT arrays in accordance with a further embodiment, and 
       FIG. 4  is a similar view of an RFID biosensor with a linear FM chirped IDT array in accordance with a still further embodiment. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring first to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, a SAW RFID biosensor system comprises a main interrogation unit (not shown) which transmits an RF signal to a passive SAW sensor  100  located a short distance away. The SAW reflective RFID biosensor  100  receives the RF interrogation signal from the main interrogation unit via an antenna  120  which is electrically connected to an interdigital transducer (IDT)  115  located on piezoelectric material  110 . The RF interrogation signal is transformed by the IDT  115  to an incident acoustic wave  140  which propagates towards a reflector array  130  which has several finger electrodes. A biolayer  135  is positioned on or near certain reflectors within the reflector array  130 . The biolayer  135  (e.g. antibody, cell or enzyme) is immobilized unto certain reflectors of the reflector array  130  as the target-sensitive component of the biosensor. 
   Recent literature by Hunt et al., (“Time-dependent signatures of acoustic wave biosensors,”  IEEE Proceedings , Vol. 91, no. 6, pp. 890–901, June 2003.) and (Stubbs, D. D., Lee, S. H. and Hunt, W. D., “Investigation of cocaine plumes using surface acoustic wave immunosassay sensors,”  Analytical Chemistry , vol. 75, no. 22, pp. 6231–6235, Nov. 15, 2003) has demonstrated that an acoustic wave biosensor with an immobilized biolayer need not be restricted to the detection of biomolecules within a liquid phase, but can detect low vapour pressure chemical molecules such as pathogens, drugs and explosives. 
   The reflector array  130  returns a reflected acoustic wave  150  in the form of a modified interrogation signal such that the modification of the RF signal is proportional to the binding of biological and chemical substances to the biolayer  135 . A fluidic chamber  160  enables biological and chemical fluid therein to interact with the biolayer  135 . The modified reflected acoustic wave  150  is then reconverted back within the IDT  115  to a modified RF signal which is retransmitted back via the antenna  120  to the interrogation unit. 
     FIG. 2  shows an RFID biosensor with multiple reflector arrays  200 . The biosensor of  FIG. 2  is similar to the RFID biosensor  100  of  FIG. 1  in that the antenna  220  receives an interrogation signal which is converted to an incident acoustic wave  240  by the input/output IDT  215 . However, reflector array A  232  does not have a biolayer affixed thereto and is suitably positioned away from the input/output IDT  215  such that an unperturbed reflected wave  250  returning back to the input/output IDT  215  from the reflector array A  232  provides a fixed reference signal to a detection algorithm within the main interrogation unit. Similarly, a reflector array B  234  also provides an unperturbed reference signal. A reflector array C  236  does have a biolayer  235  positioned on or near its reflectors and the reflected acoustic wave  250  is perturbed proportionally to the binding effect of the biological and chemical substances to the biolayer  235 . A fluidic chamber inlet  262  enables the biological and chemical fluid to enter the fluidic chamber and interact with the biolayer  235 , and a fluidic chamber outlet  265  permits exit of the fluid from the fluidic chamber. 
   The main interrogation unit now has two reference signals followed by a perturbed signal returning from the RFID biosensor. The detection algorithm located within the main interrogation unit can deduce, by comparison techniques between the reference signals and the perturbed signal from reflector C  236 , binding events which occurred within the biolayer  235 . 
   A similar approach to selectable reflector arrays is to implement a SAW RFID biosensor with selectable IDT array  300 .  FIG. 3  shows the basic structure of a SAW RFID biosensor with selectable binary modulated finger electrodes within the IDT array. The biosensor of  FIG. 3  is similar to the RFID biosensor of  FIG. 2  with multiple reflective arrays  200  in that an antenna  320  receives an interrogation signal which is converted to an acoustic wave # 1   342  by the input/output IDT  315 . This binary modulation includes a variety of coding schemes such as, but not limited to, binary codes, Barker codes, combined Barker codes, Gold codes, quadraphase codes and pseudorandom (PN) codes. The electrical connections of the antenna  320  extend past the input/output IDT  315  by means of conductive busbars  318 . The antenna  320  excites the IDT array  316  which then propagates an acoustic wave # 2   344  towards the input/output IDT  315 . A binary modulated bit pattern is embedded into the finger pattern of the IDT array  316 . 
   In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , bit # 1   371  is the input/output IDT which is made up of 3 finger electrode pairs and has a weighted binary value of 1. Bit # 2   373  and bit # 3   375  are made up of 3 finger electrode pairs and has a weighted binary value of 1. Bit # 4   377  is also made up of 3 finger electrode pairs, but is phase reversed with respect to the other two bits, resulting in a weighted binary value of −1. A biolayer  335  is located within bit # 4   377  and positioned so as to communicate with biological and chemical fluid entering a fluidic chamber inlet  362  and discharging through the fluidic chamber outlet  364 . When the biolayer  335  interacts with specific biological and chemical substances, a change in velocity of the acoustic wave occurs within the piezoelectric material under the biolayer  335 . This change in velocity then perturbs the acoustic wave propagating under bit # 4   377  IDT array. 
   Previous literature by co-inventor Edmonson (“SAW Pulse Compression Using Combined Barker Codes,” M. Eng Thesis in Electrical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, March 1989) has demonstrated the use of correlation techniques and sidelobe analysis for the detection of modulated signals using SAW devices. The manner in which a passive SAW RFID biosensor can detect a substance will now be explained by means of example. The SAW structure will be that as shown in  FIG. 3 . The binary weighted bit values are 1 1 1 −1, where a space equal to a bit period (Tc) is inserted between the first and second bits to represent the spatial separation shown in the structure of an RFID biosensor with selectable IDT arrays as in  FIG. 3 . For the first 6 steps of this example there is no binding of substances to the biolayer. Binding is present after step  7 . The steps involved are:
     1. An interrogation signal is received at the antenna  320  of the RFID biosensor.   2. IDT array  316  transforms the RF electrical interrogation signal to an equivalent acoustic wave.   3. The acoustic waves begin to propagate outwards from the IDT array  316  in both the right (R) direction  342  and in the left (L) direction  344 .   4. As the acoustic waves  342 ,  344  propagate under each set of IDT fingers representing a bit value  371 ,  373 ,  375 ,  377 , a summation of acoustic wave values occurs and the resultants are transformed back to RF electrical signals via the IDT array  316  and transmitted back to the interrogation unit via the antenna  320 .   5. Table 1 illustrates the propagation of the acoustic wave, with each row number representing the number of time periods (nTc) which the acoustic wave has propagated. The upper 4 rows represent the sequential shift of the acoustic wave to the right and the bottom 4 rows represent the sequential shift of the acoustic wave to the left.   6. After 4 time periods, the acoustic wave has cleared the IDT array  316  in both directions and the summation values are shown in Table 2. These are the equivalent RF values which will be transmitted back to the main interrogation unit.   

   
     
       
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 1 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               4R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               3R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               2R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               1R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               IDT 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               1L 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               2L 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               3L 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
               4L 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −1 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   
     
       
             
             
             
             
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
               TABLE 2 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               Rows 1 
               Rows 2 
               Rows 3 
               Rows 4 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               Summation 
               0 
               0 
               2 
               −2 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
       
       7. The reminder of this example shows the situation where the biolayer  335  has been exposed to biological or chemical substances and a binding event has taken place. 
       8. Steps 1 through 4 are repeated except that the velocity has changed within the SAW structure under the biolayer located at bit # 4   377 . When a binding event takes place between the biological or chemical substances and the biolayer  335 , a change in acoustic wave velocity under the biolayer  335  will occur. This velocity perturbation translates into a change in frequency, and the subsequent acoustic wave associated with bit # 4   377  will propagate and transfer this change to each group of fingers within the IDT that the acoustic wave propagates through. Similarly, when an acoustic wave originating from an unperturbed set of IDTs  371 ,  373 ,  375  propagates through the IDT of bit # 4   377 , a velocity perturbation will also take place resulting in a frequency change. 
       9. Table 3 illustrates the resulting propagation of the acoustic wave and the perturbed value of bit # 4   377  which arbitrarily shown as 0.9 rather than 1.0 to illustrate the binding effect. Even though a change caused by the biolayer is represented by a change in amplitude and not frequency, it can be shown that when the perturbed interrogation signal is returned back to the interrogation unit and undergoes a correlation process with a reference signal, the frequency change can be represented by an amplitude change within the resulting peak and sidelobe values. 
     
  
   
     
       
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 3 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               4R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
                 
             
             
               3R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               2R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               1R 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               IDT 
                 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               1L 
                 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               2L 
                 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               3L 
                 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
               4L 
               1 
                 
               1 
               1 
               −0.9 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
       
       10. The resultant summation is shown in Table 4, illustrating the change in the summation values when compared to Table 2 for the unperturbed state. The main interrogation unit will decode a different set of summation peak and sidelobe values with respect to the unperturbed state when no binding occurred and determine if a detection sequence has occurred. The difference between the summation values of Tables 2 and 4 is proportional to the amount of substance detected. 
     
  
   
     
       
             
             
             
             
             
           
             
             
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
               TABLE 4 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               Rows 1 
               Rows 2 
               Rows 3 
               Rows 4 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
             
           
        
         
             
                 
               Summation 
               0.2 
               0.2 
               2 
               −1.8 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
     FIG. 4  illustrates another embodiment of the invention, namely a SAW RFID biosensor with a singly dispersive in-line frequency modulated (FM) chirp IDT array  400 . An IDT array  416  is again separated into two main regions. This frequency modulation includes a variety of coding schemes such as, but not limited to, linear FM, non-linear FM, minimum shift keying (MSK) coding and Frank codes. An input/output IDT  415  occupies the left most region of the IDT array  416  and a chirped IDT  419  occupies the right most region. An antenna  420  receives an interrogation signal which is converted to an acoustic wave # 1   442  by the input/output IDT  415 . The electrical connections of the antenna  420  extend past the input/output IDT  415  by means of conductive busbars. The antenna  420  excites the IDT chirped array  419 , which then propagates an acoustic wave # 2   444  towards the input/output IDT  415 . 
   The finger pattern of the chirped array  419  varies in width. Wide fingers represent lower frequencies and narrow fingers represent higher frequencies following the relationship λ=ν/f, where λ is the acoustic wavelength, v is the acoustic velocity and f is the frequency. Typically, each finger is λ4 in width. 
   The RFID biosensor of  FIG. 5  has a linear FM chirped IDT array with a linear modulated FM up-chirp finger pattern within the array  419 . A biolayer  435  is located within the higher frequency fingers of the chirped array  419  and positioned such to communicate with biological and chemical fluid entering the fluidic chamber through an inlet  462  and discharging from an outlet  464 . When the biolayer  435  interacts with specific biological and chemical substances, a change in velocity of the acoustic wave occurs within the piezoelectric material under the biolayer region  435 . This change in velocity then perturbs the acoustic wave propagating under the higher frequency fingers of the chirped array  419 . 
   With no binding of substances to the biolayer  435 , the interrogation signal excites the IDT array  416  to produce an unperturbed return signal back to the interrogation unit such that the modulated frequency of the signal increases linearly from a low to high frequency component. When there is a binding event between the fluid and the biolayer  435 , a perturbed returning signal back to the interrogation unit is produced such that the modulated frequency component of the signal is no longer linear due to the change in velocity occurring under the higher frequency fingers, thereby perturbing the frequency component of the signal. It can be shown that, when the perturbed interrogation signal is returned back to the interrogation unit and undergoes a correlation process with an equivalent matched filter such as a down-chirped reference signal, the frequency change can be represented by an amplitude change within the resulting peak and sidelobe values. 
   Other embodiments and advantages of the invention will now be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.