massasensoriset

Massasensoriset, or mass sensors, are devices that detect changes in mass by transducing them into a measurable signal. Most rely on a gravimetric principle: added mass changes the dynamics of a resonant element, producing a shift in resonance frequency or in optical signals. The term covers several technologies, including quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensors, MEMS cantilever resonators, and optical resonators.

Quartz crystal microbalance sensors measure mass from the frequency change of a piezoelectric crystal; QCM-D devices also monitor energy dissipation to assess the viscoelastic properties of the deposited layer. MEMS-based sensors use microcantilevers or nanobeams whose resonance frequency decreases as mass accumulates on their surface. Optical mass sensors detect shifts in resonance wavelengths in ring resonators or plasmonic structures.

Applications include label-free biosensing (proteins, nucleic acids, cells), chemical sensing (gases and vapors), and environmental monitoring, as well as real-time process control in industry and point-of-care diagnostics.

Key performance factors are sensitivity, limit of detection, dynamic range, response time, and surface functionalization for selectivity. Challenges include temperature and medium viscosity effects, surface fouling, drift, and the need for careful calibration and fluid handling in liquid environments.

Future developments focus on sensor arrays for multiplexing, integration with microfluidics and electronics, and data-driven analysis to interpret gravimetric signals in complex samples.