The system uses the principle of resonant mass measurement in which particles are suspended in fluid and are passed, one-by-one, through a MEMS-fabricated microchannel. This channel acts like a hollow tuning fork, mechanically resonating at a frequency near 400 kHz. As the particles move through the channel, they cause a change in the resonator mass that is detected via a change in its resonant frequency. Precise measurements down to 25 ppb are measured at a rate of 1,000 times per second for particle masses as small as a femtogram.

The sensors’ small size (~200 µm long), low mass, pure tone, and ultra-high resolution measurement of the sensor resonant frequency are key factors for the mass resolution.

Whether your interest is particle characterization or cytometry, browse our application notes to discover how ARCHIMEDES can meet your needs. ARCHIMEDES has successfully analyzed protein formulations from a number of major biotechnology companies.