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US4598224A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Surface acoustic wave device for sensing the presence of chemical agents

Assignee: United States Department of the Army
•
Filing: 1985-08-07
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Granted: 1986-07-01
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Expires: 2005-08-07
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Abstract

Abstract A surface acoustic wave device is provided for sensing the presence of chemical agents by chemo-electronic means. The device includes a quartz substrate and means deposited on the substrate for propagating and receiving surface acoustic waves along the surface of the substrate. Regions are provided on the substrate containing etched tunnels, the walls of the etched tunnel being coated within with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected. When surface acoustic waves are caused to pass over these regions, the reaction of the chemical agent to be detected with the chemical substance causes a change in the acoustic wave velocity.

Inventors

  • 👤 Arthur Ballato

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 16:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/02; G01N29/022; H; H03; H03H; H03H9/00; H03H9/02; H03H9/02535; H03H9/02637; H03H9/02645; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/025; G01N2291/0256; G01N2291/04; G01N2291/042; G01N2291/0423; G01N2291/0426

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim 101 words
A surface acoustic wave device for sensing the presence of chemical agents by chemo-electronic means, said device comprising a quartz substrate, means deposited on the substrate for propagating and receiving surface acoustic waves along the surface of the quartz substrate and regions on said substrate containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected so that when surface acoustic waves are caused to pass over these regions, the reaction of the chemical agent to be detected with the chemical substance causes a change in the acoustic wave velocity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 101 words
A surface acoustic wave device for sensing the presence of chemical agents by chemo-electronic means, said device comprising a quartz substrate, means deposited on the substrate for propagating and receiving surface acoustic waves along the surface of the quartz substrate and regions on said substrate containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected so that when surface acoustic waves are caused to pass over these regions, the reaction of the chemical agent to be detected with the chemical substance causes a change in the acoustic wave velocity.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 24 words
A surface acoustic wave device according to claim 1 wherein said means for propagating and receiving surface acoustic waves are interdigital transducer electrode arrays.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 105 words
A surface acoustic wave device according to claim 2 including an input interdigital transducer electrode array with terminal wires for propagating surface acoustic waves deposited on top of the quartz substrate at one end of the substrate, an output interdigital transducer electrode array with terminal wires, for receiving surface acoustic waves deposited on top of the quartz substrate at the other end of the substrate with said region containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected located between said input interdigital transducer electrode array and said output interdigital transducer electrode array.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 170 words
A surface acoustic wave device according to claim 2 including an interdigital transducer electrode array with terminal wires deposited on top of the quartz substrate in the center of the substrate, an interdigital transducer electrode array deposited on the top of the quartz substrate at one end of the quartz substrate, and another interdigital transducer electrode array deposited on the top of the quartz substrate at the other end of the substrate, the two said interdigital transducer electrode arrays at the ends of the quartz substrate serving as surface acoustic wave reflectors, with a region containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected located between one of the end electrode arrays and the centrally positioned electrode array and a second region containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected located between the other end electrode array and the centrally positioned electrode array.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 217 words
A surface acoustic wave device according to claim 2 including an input interdigital transducer electrode array with terminal wires for propagating surface acoustic waves deposited on the top of the quartz substrate near the center of the substrate, an output interdigital transducer electrode array with terminal wires for receiving surface acoustic waves deposited on the top of the quartz substrate near the center of the substrate, adjacent to but spaced from said input interdigital transducer electrode array, an interdigital transducer electrode array deposited on the top of the quartz substrate at one end of the quartz substrate, and another interdigital transducer electrode array deposited on the top of the quartz substrate at the other end of the substrate, the two said interdigital transducer electrode arrays at the ends of the quartz substrate serving as acoustic wave reflectors, with a region containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected located between one of the end electrode arrays and the input interdigital transducer electrode array and a second region containing etched tunnels coated within the walls of the tunnel with a chemical substance sensitive to the chemical agent to be detected located between the other end electrode array and the output interdigital transducer electrode array.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4210722A Cited
JPS54100238A Cited
US4246344A Cited
US4312228A Cited
US4343688A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-06-30 1989-12-30 1990-07-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-06-30 1993-12-30 1994-07-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-06-30 1997-12-30 1998-07-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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