2-D Strain Sensors with Asymmetrically Pre-stretched Metal Thin Film for Multidimensionally Stretchable Electronics

Abstract

There have been a number of researches about conductive thin films that can be used for strain sensors in stretchable electronics. However, the electrical conductance of most single-axis strain sensors are not only affected by principal tensile direction, but also by perpendicular tensile direction on 2-dimensional stretchable platform, owing to Poisson's ratio of elastomeric substrate. We demonstrate strain sensors of silver inkjet-printed on an asymmetrically pre-strained roughened poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) substrate which remarkably reduces the influence by perpendicular strain. Furthermore, 2-dimensional stretchable LED array which makes up for reduced resolution as the platform is stretched was fabricated using the strain sensors.