Review of graphene-based strain sensors

In this paper, we review various types of graphene-based strain sensors. Graphene is a monolayer of carbon atoms, which exhibits prominent electrical and mechanical properties and can be a good candidate in compact strain sensor ap- plications. However, a perfect graphene is robust and has a low piezoresistive sensitivity. So scientists have been driven to increase the sensitivity using different kinds of methods since the first graphene-based strain sensor was reported. We give a comprehensive review of graphene-based strain sensors with different structures and mechanisms. It is obvious that graphene offers some advantages and has potential for the strain sensor application in the near future.

Deformation Resistance Effect of PAN-based Carbon Fibers

The deformation resistance effect of polyacrylonitrile （PAN）-based carbon fibers was investigated, and the variatipn law of electrical resistivity under tensile stress was analyzed. The results show that the gauge factor （fractional change in resistance per unit strain） of PAN-based carbon fibers is 1.38, which is lower than that of the commonly-used resistance strain gauge. These may due to that the electrical resistivity of carbon fibers decreases under tensile stress. In addition when the carbon fibers are stretched, the change of its resistance is caused by fiber physical dimension and the change of electric resistivity, and mainly caused by the change of physical dimension. The mechanical properties of carbon fiber monofilament were also measured.

Fabrication and Performance Investigation of Karma Alloy Thin Film Strain Gauge

Karma alloy thin film strain gauges were fabricated on alumina substrates by magnetron sputtering. The electrical properties of strain gauges annealed at different temperatures were then tested. The surface morphology and phase structure of the Karma alloy thin films were analyzed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The effect of the annealing temperature on the performance of the Karma alloy thin film strain gauge was also investigated. As the annealing temperature increased, it was found that the resistivity of the thin films decreased, whereas the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the thin films increased. A Karma alloy thin film strain gauge was annealed at 200 °C, thereby obtaining a gauge factor of 1.7 and a corresponding TCR of 64.8 × 10−6 K−1. The prepared Karma alloy thin film strain gauge had a lower TCR than other strain gauges at room temperature. This result can provide a reference for the preparation and application of Karma alloy thin film strain gauges in specific scenarios.

A switchable high-sensitivity strain sensor based on piezotronic resonant tunneling junctions

Developing emerging technologies in Internet of Things and artificial intelligence requires high-speed, low-power, high-sensitivity, and switchable-functionality strain sensors capable of sensing subtle mechanical stimuli in complex ambience. Resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) are the good candidate for such sensing applications due to the ultrafast transport process, lower tunneling current, and negative differential resistance. However, notably enhancing sensing sensitivity remains one of the greatest challenges for RTD-related strain sensors. Here, we use piezotronic effect to improve sensing performance of strain sensors in double-barrier ZnO nanowire RTDs. This strain sensor not only possesses an ultrahigh gauge factor (GF) 390 GPa^(−1), two orders of magnitude higher than these reported RTD-based strain sensors, but also can switch the sensitivity with a GF ratio of 160 by adjusting bias voltage in a small range of 0.2 V. By employing Landauer–Büttiker quantum transport theory, we uncover two primary factors governing piezotronic modulation of resonant tunneling transport, i.e., the strain-mediated polarization field for manipulation of quantized subband levels, and the interfacial polarization charges for adjustment of space charge region. These two mechanisms enable strain to induce the negative differential resistance, amplify the peak-valley current ratio, and diminish the resonant bias voltage. These performances can be engineered by the regulation of bias voltage, temperature, and device architectures. Moreover, a strain sensor capable of electrically switching sensing performance within sensitive and insensitive regimes is proposed. This study not only offers a deep insight into piezotronic modulation of resonant tunneling physics, but also advances the RTD towards highly sensitive and multifunctional sensor applications.

A tunneling piezoresistive model for polysilicon

Based on the trap model, the band structure and the conductive mechanism ofpolysilicon were analyzed, and then an equivalent circuit used to interpret the tunneling piezoresistive effect was proposed. Synthesizing the piezoresistive effect of the grain boundary region and grain neutral zone, a new piezoresistive model--a tunneling piezoresistive model is established. The results show that when the doping concentration is above 10^20 cm^-3, the piezoresistive coefficient of the grain boundary is higher than that of the neutral zone, and it increases with an increase in doping concentration. This reveals the intrinsic mechanism of an important experimental phenomena that the gauge factor of heavily doped polysilicon nano-films increases with an increase in doping concentration.

Tunnelling piezoresistive effect of grain boundary in polysilicon nano-films

The experiment results indicate that the gauge factor of highly boron doped polysilicon nanofilm is bigger than that of monocrystalline silicon with the same doping concentration, and increases with the grain size decreasing. To apply the unique properties reasonably in the fabrication of piezoresistive devices, it was expounded based on the analysis of energy band structure that the properties were caused by the tunnel current which varies with the strain change forming a tunnelling piezoresistive effect. Finally, a calculation method ofpiezoresistance coefficients around grain boundaries was presented, and then the experiment results ofpolysilicon nanofilms were explained theoretically.