By specifically binding derivatized colloidal particles and physisorbing nonderivatized particles to the surface of a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), we have observed positive shifts of frequency, Deltaf, in contrast to the negative frequency shifts typically found in adsorption experiments. Evidently, the Sauerbrey relation does not apply to this situation. A comparison of frequencies shifts and bandwidths on different overtones reveals a coupled resonance: at low overtones, Deltaf is negative, whereas it is positive at high overtones, with maximal resonance bandwidth observed at the crossover point. As predicted by the Dybwad model, the spheres bound to the surface form resonating systems on their own. A composite resonator is formed, consisting of a large crystal with resonance frequency omega and the adsorbed spheres with resonance frequency omega(S). In the case in which the resonance frequency of the small spheres (firmly attached to crystal), omega(S), is higher than the resonance frequency of the crystal, omega, Deltaf of the composite system is negative (leading to the Sauerbrey limit). In the opposite limit (that is, in the case of large adsorbed particles bound to the sensor surface via a sufficiently weak bridge) Deltaf is positive. Such a behavior is known from sphere-plate contacts in the dry state. Finite element calculation demonstrates that this phenomena is also plausible in liquid phase media, with Deltaf critically dependent on the strength of the sphere-plate contact. Operated in this mode, the QCM most likely probes the contact strength, rather than the mass of the particle.

SiGe-free strained Si on insulator substrates were fabricated by wafer bonding and hydrogen-induced layer transfer of strained Si grown on bulk relaxed Si0.68Ge0.32 graded layers. Raman spectroscopy shows that the 49-nm thick strained Si on insulator structure maintains a 1.15% tensile strain even after SiGe layer removal. The strain in the structure is thermally stable during 1000 °C anneals for at least 3 min, while more extreme thermal treatments at 1100 °C cause slight film relaxation. The fabrication of epitaxially defined, thin strained Si layers directly on a buried insulator forms an ideal platform for future generations of Si-based microelectronics.

In a free-standing 400-nm-thick platelet of crystalline ZY-LiNbO 3 , narrow electrodes (500 nm) placed periodically with a pitch of a few microns can eXcite standing shear-wave bulk acoustic resonances (XBARs), by utilising lateral electric fields oriented parallel to the crystalline Y-axis and parallel to the plane of the platelet. The resonance frequency of ∼4800 MHz is determined mainly by the platelet thickness and only weakly depends on the electrode width and the pitch. Simulations show quality-factors (Q) at resonance and anti-resonance higher than 1000. Measurements of the first fabricated devices show a resonance Q-factor ∼300, strong piezoelectric coupling ∼25%, (indicated by the large Resonance-antiResonance frequency spacing, ∼11%) and an impedance at resonance of a few ohms. The static capacitance of the devices, corresponds to the imaginary part of the impedance ∼100 Ω. This device opens the possibility for the development of low-loss, wide band, RF filters in the 3-6 GHz range for 4th and 5th generation (4G/5G) mobile phones. XBARs can be produced using standard optical photolithography and MEMS processes. The 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th harmonics were observed, up to 38 GHz, and are also promising for high frequency filter design.