A Love plate device, based on an SSBW piezoelectric substrate coated with a polymer (PMMA) layer, was used to excite a surface guiding shear horizontal wave. The surface mass sensitivity of the device was calculated as a function of the thickness of the polymer layer, usin a modelling theory derived for the polymer-Love plate. LB films were used to assess experimentally the surface mass sensitivity and results were compared with theoretical predictions. Investigation of protein interaction with the PMMA surface was performed by following the adsorption of IgG in the range 1-400 μg/ml. Finally, the deposition of a protein multilayer, consisted of IgG/anti-IgG and protein A, was clearly detected using the polymer-coated Love plate device. © 1992.
