Development of multichannel quartz crystal microbalances for MIP‐based biosensing

Abstract

Abstract Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer a huge potential in the development of cheap small‐scale disposable biomimetic sensors. They are suited for a wide variety of biological targets and are compatible with many different measurement techniques such as gravimetric sensing and impedance spectroscopy. One potential sensor platform for MIP‐based biosensors is the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). A 4‐channel MIP/non‐imprinted polymer (NIP) coated QCM biosensor array was developed on a single piece of quartz crystal. To study cross‐channel frequency coupling of the resonance modes, a simulation of crystal designs using finite element analysis (FEA) modeling was created. Based on these simulations and using reactive ion etching (RIE) to create mesa‐like structures on the crystal surface, crosstalk can be severely reduced. The improved functionality compared to the traditional QCMs was demonstrated by employing these mesa‐type multichannel QCM (MQCM) crystals as an L ‐nicotine biosensor platform.