Patent ID: 8778446

Claim:
A flow cell comprising: a first aperture configured to allow a medium to flow into a reservoir portion of the flow cell; a second aperture configured to allow the medium to flow out of the reservoir portion of the flow cell; and the reservoir portion, wherein: the reservoir portion is configured to contain therein at least a portion of the medium; the reservoir portion contains at least a portion of a sensing surface of a piezoelectric-excited millimeter-sized cantilever (PEMC) sensor; the PEMC sensor comprises: a piezoelectric layer comprising a proximate end and a distal end; a non-piezoelectric layer comprising a proximate end and a distal end, wherein at least a portion of the piezoelectric layer is coupled to at least a portion of the non-piezoelectric layer such that the piezoelectric layer and the non-piezoelectric layer are not coextensive; a base portion coupled to the proximate end of the piezoelectric layer, wherein the base portion is not attached to the proximate end of the non-piezoelectric layer; and electrodes operatively associated with the piezoelectric layer; at least a portion of the medium in the reservoir portion is exposable to the sensing surface of the PEMC sensor; and exposure of the medium to the sensing surface of the PEMC sensor is enhanced under flow conditions as compared to the medium being static within the flow cell.