Mechanically gated electrical switches by creasing of patterned metal/elastomer bilayer films
Strain-gated logic devices are important for the development of advanced flexible electronics. Using a dual-monolayer-promoted film-transfer technique, a flexible multilayer structure capable of undergoing large compressive deformation was prepared. Formation of a crease in the gap between electrodes at a geometrically tunable strain leads to formation of an electrical connection in a reversible and reproducible fashion. A strain-gated electrical switch includes at least two conductive electrodes disposed on a surface of an elastomer substrate, the at least two conductive electrodes forming a gap between the at least two electrodes in an off-state of the strain-gated electrical switch, the gap diminishing under compressive strain to form a crease, the compressive strain pressing the at least two electrodes into contact with each other in an on-state of the strain-gated electrical switch.
1. A strain-gated electrical switch comprising at least two conductive electrodes disposed on a surface of an elastomer substrate, the at least two conductive electrodes forming a gap between the at least two electrodes in an off-state of the strain-gated electrical switch, the gap diminishing under compressive strain to form a crease, the compressive strain pressing the at least two electrodes into contact with each other in an on-state of the strain-gated electrical switch.
2. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrodes are gold electrodes.
3. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer substrate is a polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) elastomer substrate.
4. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the gap between the at least two electrodes in the off-state of the strain-gated electrical switch is in a range of between about 1 μm and about 100 μm.
5. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 4 , wherein the gap between the at least two electrodes in the off-state of the strain-gated electrical switch is in a range of between about 10 μm and about 60 μm.
6. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 5 , wherein the gap between the at least two electrodes in the off-state of the strain-gated electrical switch is about 50 μm.
7. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrodes have a thickness in a range of between 5 nm and about 1 μm.
8. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 7 , wherein the at least two electrodes have a thickness in a range of between 20 nm and about 200 nm.
9. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 8 , the thickness of the at least two electrodes is about 100 nm.
10. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 1 , wherein the at least two electrodes have a width in a range of between about 1 μm and about 1 mm.
11. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 10 , wherein the at least two electrodes have a width in a range of between about 10 μm and about 1 mm.
12. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 11 , wherein the at least two electrodes have a width in a range of between about 20 μm and about 200 μm.
13. The strain-gated electrical switch of claim 12 , wherein the width of the at least two electrodes is about 100 μm.