Ultra-sensitive Pressure sensor based on guided straight mechanical cracks

• Published in: Scientific reports 2017-01, Vol.7 (1), p.40116-40116, Article 40116
• Main Authors: Choi, Yong Whan, Kang, Daeshik, Pikhitsa, Peter V., Lee, Taemin, Kim, Sang Moon, Lee, Gunhee, Tahk, Dongha, Choi, Mansoo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 142/126; 639/166/988; 639/301/1005; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Pressure; Pressure sensors; Science; Sensors; Strain
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep40116

Recently, a mechanical crack-based strain sensor with high sensitivity was proposed by producing free cracks via bending metal coated film with a known curvature. To further enhance sensitivity and controllability, a guided crack formation is needed. Herein, we demonstrate such a ultra-sensitive sensor based on the guided formation of straight mechanical cracks. The sensor has patterned holes on the surface of the device, which concentrate the stress near patterned holes leading to generate uniform cracks connecting the holes throughout the surface. We found that such a guided straight crack formation resulted in an exponential dependence of the resistance against the strain, overriding known linear or power law dependences. Consequently, the sensors are highly sensitive to pressure (with a sensitivity of over 1 × 10 5 at pressures of 8–9.5 kPa range) as well as strain (with a gauge factor of over 2 × 10 6 at strains of 0–10% range). A new theoretical model for the guided crack system has been suggested to be in a good agreement with experiments. Durability and reproducibility have been also confirmed.