Microfluidic device concept based on microoscillator dynamics at a liquid–liquid interface

"Oscillating microbeams and microplates have been used extensively as sensing components for property detection in fluids. In liquids, their quality factor Q is drastically decreased, thus affecting a microsensor’s resolution. To improve the Q-factor, we present a novel concept based on the positive use of surface tension on a mechanical oscillator composed of a microbeam–microplate assembly suspended at a liquid–liquid interface in a microfluidic channel. An analytical model is developed to investigate rotational dynamics of such an assembly..."