Surface acoustic wave sensors have been a focus of active research for many years. Its ability to respond for surface perturbation is a basic principle for its sensing capability. Sensitivity to surface perturbation changes with every inter-digital transducer (IDT) design parameters, substrate selection, metallization choice and technique, delay line length and working environment. In this thesis, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors are designed and characterized to improve sensitivity and reduce loss. To quantify the improvements with a specific design configuration, the sensors are employed to measure temperature. Four SAW sensors design configurations, namely bi-directional, split electrode, single phase unidirectional transducer (SPUDT) and metal grating on delay line (shear transvers wave sensors) are designed and then fabricated in Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (NREC) facility using traditional MEMS fabrication processes Additionally, sensors are then coated with guiding layer SU8-2035 of 40 m using spin coating and SiO2 of 6 m using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. Sensors are later diced and tested for every 5oC increment using network analyzer for temperature ranging from 30oC–0.5oC to 80oC–0.5oC. Data acquired from network analyzer is analyzed using plot of logarithmic magnitude, phase and frequency shift. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of metallization technique on the sensor performance, sensors are also fabricated on substrates that were metallized at a commercial MEMS foundry. All in-house and outside sputtered sensor configurations are compared to investigate quality of sputtered metal on wafer. One with better quality sputtered metal is chosen for further study. Later sensors coated with SU8 and SiO2 as guiding layer are compared to investigate effect of each waveguide on sensors and determine which waveguide offers better performance. The results showed that company sputtered sensors have higher sensitivity compared to in-house sputtered wafers. Furthermore after comparing SU8 and SiO2 coated sensors in the same instrumental and environmental condition, it was observed that SU8 coated di-directional and single phase unidirectional transducer (SPUDT) sensors showed best response.

Les chiffres des statistiques du cancer colorectal en France et dans le mondemontrent la nécessité de développement de plateformes technologiques plus rapides,sensibles et spécifiques pour assurer le diagnostic du cancer. Un diagnostic rapide va ainsiaider à améliorer l’état de santé et réduire le temps d’attente des résultats qui peut être ungrand facteur de stress pour les patients. L’analyse des biomarqueurs dans le sang, lesurines et autres fluides corporels est l’une des méthodes appliquées pour la détectionprécoce de la maladie. Dans le cadre de ce projet des nucléosides urinaires ont été identifiéscomme biomarqueurs pour le cancer colorectal. Financée par l’Agence Nationale de laRecherche (ANR), à travers le projet CancerSensor (programme TECSAN), cette thèse s’estdéroulée au sein de l’équipe MDA (Microsystèmes de Détection Acoustique) du laboratoireIMS. Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous avons proposé une solution technologique dedétection et de suivi de biomarqueurs du cancer colorectal. Notre choix de la stratégie dedétection s’est porté sur les polymères à empreintes moléculaires comme élément dereconnaissance des biomarqueurs. Celui-ci sera associé à un transducteur acoustique àondes de Love mis au point lors de travaux précédents au sein de l’équipe MDA. Lebiocapteur ainsi développé va cibler les nucléosides mis en évidence pour le cancercolorectal. / Colorectal cancer statistics in France and all over the world demonstrate theneed for fast, sensitive and specific technological platforms development for cancerdiagnosis. A rapid diagnosis will improve the patients’ health status and reduce the resultswaiting time which could be a great stress factor. Biomarkers analysis in blood, urine andother body fluids is recognized as one of the applied methods for early cancer detection. Inframe of this project, urinary nucleosides have been identified as colorectal cancerbiomarkers. Funded by the National Research Agency (ANR), through the cancer sensorproject (TECSAN program), this thesis was carried out in IMS laboratory. Hence, a colorectalcancer biomarkers detection and monitoring technological solution has been proposed. Inour detection strategy, Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIP) has been identified asbiomarker recognition element. The MIP layer has been associated to Love Wave acoustictransducer. This biosensor will sense the identified colorectal cancer nucleosides.