An Improved Split-Ring Resonator-Based Sensor for Microfluidic Applications
Wei Ye,
Da-Wei Wang,
Jing Wang,
Gaofeng Wang,
Wen-Sheng Zhao
Affiliations
Wei Ye
MOE Engineering Research Center of Smart Micro-Sensors and Micro-Systems, School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Da-Wei Wang
MOE Engineering Research Center of Smart Micro-Sensors and Micro-Systems, School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Jing Wang
MOE Engineering Research Center of Smart Micro-Sensors and Micro-Systems, School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Gaofeng Wang
MOE Engineering Research Center of Smart Micro-Sensors and Micro-Systems, School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
Wen-Sheng Zhao
MOE Engineering Research Center of Smart Micro-Sensors and Micro-Systems, School of Electronics and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
This study proposes an ultrahigh-sensitivity split-ring resonator-based microwave sensor for retrieving the complex permittivity of liquid samples. An interdigital capacitor structure was used to expand the sensing area and the sensitivity. A defected ground structure and A parallel dual split-ring resonator were introduced to improve the quality factor. A polydimethylsiloxane microfluidic channel substrate was placed above the interdigital capacitor structure. The channel route coincided with the interdigital gap to fully utilize the strong electric field. Ethanol–water solutions with varying ethanol fractions were injected into the channel as the testing liquid. It was demonstrated that the variation in resonant frequency can be used to retrieve the dielectric properties of liquid samples. The proposed sensor used a small liquid volume of ~0.68 μL and provided values in good agreement with the reference data.
