ABSTRACT
The literature concerning the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and its electrochemical analogue, the electrochemical crystal microbalance is wide and diverse. Many reviews are available in the literature, discussing the fundamental properties of this device and its numerous applications, including its use in electrochemistry. The most common commercial use of the QCM is as a thickness gauge in thin-layer technology. When used to monitor the thickness of a metal film during physical or chemical vapor deposition, it acts very closely as a nano-balance, providing a real-time measurement of the thickness. The application of a voltage between these electrodes results in a shear deformation of the crystal due to its piezoelectric properties. Slippage occurs as a result of the force of inertia acting on the adsorbate during the vibrational motion of the crystal. When a quartz crystal resonator operates in contact with a liquid, the shear motion of the surface generates motion in the liquid near the interface.
