Digital twin of surface acoustic wave transceivers for a computational design of an optimal wave guiding layer thickness

Detection of biomarkers is exploited in lab-on-a-chip devices by means of Love type Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW). Finger type arrangement of electrodes, used for InterDigital-Transducers (IDT), perform well to create and detect SAW by using electro-mechanical coupling. Efficiency of such a transceiver depends on design parameters such as chosen material orientation, thickness, placement of electrodes. An optimized design reduces production costs, hence, we need a digital twin of the device with multiphysics simulations that compute deformation and electric field. In this study, we develop a framework with the open-source package called FEniCS for modal and transient analyses of IDTs by using the Finite Element Method (FEM). Specifically, we discuss all possible sensor design parameters and propose a computational design guideline that determines the “best” thickness parameter by maximizing mass sensitivity, thus, efficiency for a Love surface acoustic wave sensor.