Quartz crystal microbalance
From monitoring thin film deposition rates in vacuum to determining protein affinity in liquid environments, the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is the gold standard for measuring mass variation per unit area. Its ability to operate across diverse phases makes it indispensable for tracking everything from oxide growth to the kinetics of functionalized surfaces. While the principle relies on detecting frequency shifts in the quartz resonator due to mass loading, advanced applications require more. Particularly in liquid or with viscoelastic biological samples, simply tracking the fundamental frequency is insufficient. To fully characterize the layer—separating mass from viscosity and rigidity—researchers must measure energy dissipation (D) and track the response across multiple harmonics simultaneously. Capturing these fast, multi-parameter kinetics requires more than a simple frequency counter. It demands a coherent, all-in-one platform that combines a precise coherent multi-frequency drive with a high-bandwidth multifrequency lock-in amplifier, allowing you to track the full resonance curve and its harmonics in real-time. Discover how the MLA-3 Multifrequency lock-in amplifier provides the speed and stability needed for advanced QCM and QCM-D measurements in the application notes and testimonials below.
