Patent ID: 8474319

Claim:
A method for detecting an analyte, the method comprising: exposing at least a portion of a non-piezoelectric layer of a cantilever sensor to a medium, the cantilever sensor comprising: a piezoelectric layer comprising a proximate end and a distal end; a base portion coupled to the proximate end of the piezoelectric layer; the 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; and the base portion is not attached to the non-piezoelectric layer; electrodes operatively associated with the piezoelectric layer; measuring, via the electrodes, a resonance frequency of the sensor; comparing the measured resonance frequency with a baseline resonance frequency; when the measured resonance frequency differs from the baseline resonance frequency, determining that an analyte is present in the medium.