Stretchable Thin Film Mechanical-Strain-Gated Switches and Logic Gate Functions Based on a Soft Tunneling Barrier

Chae S, Choi WJ, Fotev I, Bittrich E, Uhlmann P, Schubert M, Makarov D, Wagner J, Pashkin A, Fery A (2021)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2021

Journal

Advanced Materials Wiley

Book Volume: 33

Article Number: 2104769

Journal Issue: 41

DOI: 10.1002/adma.202104769

Abstract

Mechanical-strain-gated switches are cornerstone components of material-embedded circuits that perform logic operations without using conventional electronics. This technology requires a single material system to exhibit three distinct functionalities: strain-invariant conductivity and an increase or decrease of conductivity upon mechanical deformation. Herein, mechanical-strain-gated electric switches based on a thin-film architecture that features an insulator-to-conductor transition when mechanically stretched are demonstrated. The conductivity changes by nine orders of magnitude over a wide range of tunable working strains (as high as 130%). The approach relies on a nanometer-scale sandwiched bilayer Au thin film with an ultrathin poly(dimethylsiloxane) elastomeric barrier layer; applied strain alters the electron tunneling currents through the barrier. Mechanical-force-controlled electric logic circuits are achieved by realizing strain-controlled basic (AND and OR) and universal (NAND and NOR) logic gates in a single system. The proposed material system can be used to fabricate material-embedded logics of arbitrary complexity for a wide range of applications including soft robotics, wearable/implantable electronics, human–machine interfaces, and Internet of Things.

Involved external institutions

Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e. V. DE Germany (DE) University of Michigan US United States (USA) (US) Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) DE Germany (DE) Technische Universität Dresden DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Chae, S., Choi, W.J., Fotev, I., Bittrich, E., Uhlmann, P., Schubert, M.,... Fery, A. (2021). Stretchable Thin Film Mechanical-Strain-Gated Switches and Logic Gate Functions Based on a Soft Tunneling Barrier. Advanced Materials, 33(41). https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202104769

MLA:

Chae, Soosang, et al. "Stretchable Thin Film Mechanical-Strain-Gated Switches and Logic Gate Functions Based on a Soft Tunneling Barrier." Advanced Materials 33.41 (2021).

BibTeX: Download