Abstract: An H2S sensor includes at least one acoustic wave transducer and a film having a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix includes carboxylate functional groups and lead or zinc cations. The film may have a thickness of between a hundred nanometres and a 2 microns The H2S sensor optionally includes an antenna to remotely interrogate the H2S sensor.

Abstract: An H2S sensor comprising at least one acoustic wave transducer and a film comprising a polymer matrix comprises carboxylate functional groups and lead or zinc cations. Processes for the manufacture of the sensor are also provided.

Abstract: A method of interrogating sensors of SAW type, which allows notably the gathering of physical measurements of parameters carried out by SAW sensors, the method for gathering the measurement of an SAW sensor comprising a first step of generating and emitting an electromagnetic signal corresponding to the dilated time-reversal of a dilation coefficient k, of an impulse response signature which is characteristic of the SAW sensor, a second step of gathering a signal received as echo originating from the SAW sensor, a third step of determining a maximum of cross-correlation of the signal received as echo during the second step, the first step being applied with a set of values of the dilation coefficient k in a determined domain, the measurement of a physical parameter then being determined by the dilation coefficient k for which the power or the amplitude of the signal gathered as echo is a maximum.

Abstract: A system comprises a cavity being reflecting for RF waves and comprises at least one acoustic wave sensor exhibiting a resonance frequency band, coupled to a sensor antenna; and an interrogation/reception device for the sensor. The interrogation/reception device comprises: means for transmitting/receiving an RF signal transmitting within an interrogation frequency band comprising the resonance frequency band of the sensor; at least a first transmission/reception antenna and a second transmission antenna/reception, positioned within the cavity; means for dividing the signal into at least a first RF signal and a second RF signal, the first signal being transmitted to the first transmission/reception antenna and the second signal being transmitted to the second transmission/reception antenna; means for creating a phase-shift between the first RF signal and the second RF signal; means for analysing the power level of the received signal. An interrogation method used in the system is also provided.

Abstract: A method of interrogating a surface acoustic wave differential sensor formed by two resonators is provided, wherein the method allows the measurement of a physical parameter by determination of the difference between the natural resonant frequencies of the two resonators, which difference is determined on the basis of the analysis of a signal representative of the level of a signal received as echo of an interrogation signal, for a plurality of values of a frequency of the interrogation signal in a domain of predetermined values; the analysis can be based on the cross-correlation of the said signal representative of the level according to a splitting into two distinct frequency sub-bands. An advantage is that it may be implemented in a radio-modem.

Abstract: A method for interrogating an elastic wave device includes probing the response of a piezoelectric resonant device at a single frequency alternately on either side of a previously determined first resonance frequency, to characterize this resonance frequency characteristic of the measured physical quantity, by correlating this single measurement with a previously performed measurement.

Abstract: A system comprises a cavity being reflecting for RF waves and comprises at least one acoustic wave sensor exhibiting a resonance frequency band, coupled to a sensor antenna; and an interrogation/reception device for the sensor. The interrogation/reception device comprises: means for transmitting/receiving an RF signal transmitting within an interrogation frequency band comprising the resonance frequency band of the sensor; at least a first transmission/reception antenna and a second transmission antenna/reception, positioned within the cavity; means for dividing the signal into at least a first RF signal and a second RF signal, the first signal being transmitted to the first transmission/reception antenna and the second signal being transmitted to the second transmission/reception antenna; means for creating a phase-shift between the first RF signal and the second RF signal; means for analysing the power level of the received signal. An interrogation method used in the system is also provided.

Abstract: A method of interrogating a surface acoustic wave differential sensor formed by two resonators is provided, wherein the method allows the measurement of a physical parameter by determination of the difference between the natural resonant frequencies of the two resonators, which difference is determined on the basis of the analysis of a signal representative of the level of a signal received as echo of an interrogation signal, for a plurality of values of a frequency of the interrogation signal in a domain of predetermined values; the analysis can be based on the cross-correlation of the said signal representative of the level according to a splitting into two distinct frequency sub-bands. An advantage is that it may be implemented in a radio-modem.

Abstract: A method of interrogating sensors of SAW type, which allows notably the gathering of physical measurements of parameters carried out by SAW sensors, the method for gathering the measurement of an SAW sensor comprising a first step of generating and emitting an electromagnetic signal corresponding to the dilated time-reversal of a dilation coefficient k, of an impulse response signature which is characteristic of the SAW sensor, a second step of gathering a signal received as echo originating from the SAW sensor, a third step of determining a maximum of cross-correlation of the signal received as echo during the second step, the first step being applied with a set of values of the dilation coefficient k in a determined domain, the measurement of a physical parameter then being determined by the dilation coefficient k for which the power or the amplitude of the signal gathered as echo is a maximum.

Abstract: A method of remotely interrogating a passive sensor, comprising at least one resonator, so as to determine the resonant frequency of said resonator, having a resonant frequency response defined by the design of said resonator, includes: a preliminary frequency-scan step for interrogating said resonator over a frequency range allowing for the rapid determination of a first resonant frequency (fr0) of said resonator by detecting the amplitude of the response signal of said resonator; a first step of a first couple of interrogations of said resonator at a first frequency (f11) and a second frequency (f21) such that: f11=fr0?fm/2 and f21=fr0+fm/2, fm being smaller than the width at half-maximum of the resonant frequency response defined by the design, allowing a first couple of amplitudes (Pf11, Pf21) of first and second reception signals to be defined; a second step of determining the amplitude difference (?(Pf11?Pf21)), said difference being signed; a third step allowing a first resonant frequency (fr1), contro

Abstract: A method for interrogating a passive sensor comprising at least one piezoelectric resonator includes the following steps: the identification of the characteristic width of the resonant frequency band of the resonator; the determination of a scan interval equal to a third of the measured bandwidth; a first series of three interrogation measurements with signals respectively at a first frequency, at a second frequency and at a third frequency making it possible to define a first resonance value, a second resonance value and a third resonance value; the determination by a parabolic fitting operation of the resonator response curve on the basis of said first, second and third resonance values, so as to calculate a first value of the frequency in real time of the resonator. The invention also relates to an electronic device for interrogating a passive sensor comprising at least one piezoelectric resonator and comprising a micro-controller implementing the interrogation method of the invention.

Abstract: A method of remotely interrogating a passive sensor, comprising at least one resonator, so as to determine the resonant frequency of said resonator, having a resonant frequency response defined by the design of said resonator, includes: a preliminary frequency-scan step for interrogating said resonator over a frequency range allowing for the rapid determination of a first resonant frequency (fr0) of said resonator by detecting the amplitude of the response signal of said resonator; a first step of a first couple of interrogations of said resonator at a first frequency (f11) and a second frequency (f21) such that: f11=fr0?fm/2 and f21=fr0+fm/2, fm being smaller than the width at half-maximum of the resonant frequency response defined by the design, allowing a first couple of amplitudes (Pf11, Pf21) of first and second reception signals to be defined; a second step of determining the amplitude difference (?(Pf11?Pf21)), said difference being signed; a third step allowing a first resonant frequency (fr1), contro

Abstract: A method for interrogating a passive sensor comprising at least one piezoelectric resonator includes the following steps: the identification of the characteristic width of the resonant frequency band of the resonator; the determination of a scan interval equal to a third of the measured bandwidth; a first series of three interrogation measurements with signals respectively at a first frequency, at a second frequency and at a third frequency making it possible to define a first resonance value, a second resonance value and a third resonance value; the determination by a parabolic fitting operation of the resonator response curve on the basis of said first, second and third resonance values, so as to calculate a first value of the frequency in real time of the resonator. The invention also relates to an electronic device for interrogating a passive sensor comprising at least one piezoelectric resonator and comprising a micro-controller implementing the interrogation method of the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining and analysing physical properties of a substance. Optical data and acoustical data are obtained for the substance and the data are used to apply a model of the optical/acoustical properties of the substance such that thereby any of the thickness, the density, the refractive index and composite related information such as the content of a certain component in the substance can be determined. If dynamic effects are studied, preferably data of simultaneously performed optical and acoustical measurements are used. An example is the use of data of surface plasmon resonance measurements and surface acoustic wave measurements to determine the water content in solutions of organic material.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved method for detecting an analyte. The present invention may be used for sensing devices which have a higher sensitivity and which can be used to detect very low concentration of analyte. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of providing a substrate, said substrate comprising a conductive region and a recognition layer, said conductive region having at least a first surface and a second surface, wherein said first surface is operatively associated with said recognition layer; subjecting said substrate to said analyte such that an interaction occurs between said analyte and said recognition layer; directing radiation through said substrate such that said radiation incidents on said conductive region and said recognition layer; and measuring the intensity of said radiation absorbed or transmitted by said substrate as a function of the wavelength in order to determine the presence of an analyte.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for obtaining and analysing physical properties of a substance. Optical data and acoustical data are obtained for the substance and the data are used to apply a model of the optical/acoustical properties of the substance such that thereby any of the thickness, the density, the refractive index and composite related information such as the content of a certain component in the substance can be determined. If dynamic effects are studied, preferably data of simultaneously performed optical and acoustical measurements are used. An example is the use of data of surface plasmon resonance measurements and surface acoustic wave measurements to determine the water content in solutions of organic material.