Acoustic-Wave-Based Sensors and Microfluidics: Theories, Techniques, and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Acoustic waves are one kind of mechanical vibration that can be produced by electric radio-frequency signals applied to the electrodes on a piezoelectric substrate. Surface and bulk acoustic waves (SAWs and BAWs), the two most commonly seen kinds of acoustic waves, have long been researched and are proposed to be useful in many potential application fields, including radio-frequency filters/resonators, physical/chemical/biomedical sensors and systems, manipulators for small particles in microfluidics, and so on. Because SAWs/BAWs are mechanical waves propagating within a very thin layer, where almost all the acoustic energy is concentrated, they are extremely sensitive to any perturbations of the thin layer. Consequently, they could be utilized to develop highly sensitive sensors to detect many physical, chemical, and biomedical signals. Additionally, acoustic waves could be utilized to purposefully manipulate small bio-particles or even cells due to their nature as propagating mechanical waves excited by radio-frequency electric signals, possessing huge potential in biology, clinical applications, neuroscience, lab-on-a-chip, and so on. Therefore, they are of great significance in developing high-performance acoustic-wave-based sensors and microfluidics. However, although there are many references reporting acoustic-wave-based sensors and microfluidics, the fundamental science and theories are still not very clear and need further in-depth investigation. Moreover, the techniques and practical applications of high-performance acoustic-wave-based sensors and microfluidics also require much more research.

Accordingly, this Special Issue, titled “Acoustic-Wave-Based Sensors and Microfluidics: Theories, Techniques, and Applications”, seeks to showcase research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on the following: (1) the fundamental science and theories for high-performance acoustic-wave-based sensors and microfluidics, from the coupling between mechanics, electronics, and physics/chemistry/biology to the in-depth working mechanisms; (2) the design and manufacturing techniques and demonstrations of high-performance acoustic-wave-based sensors and microfluidics for potential applications in physical/chemical/biomedical detection and acoustofluidics.

Dr. Wenbo Peng
Dr. Xiaolong Zhao
Guest Editors

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• surface acoustic wave
• bulk acoustic wave
• acoustic wave sensors
• sensing mechanisms
• acoustofluidics
• acoustic streaming
• micro/nanoparticle manipulation
• lab-on-a-chip