Ultrasensitive skin-like wearable optical sensors based on glass micro/nanofibers

Lei Zhang; Jing Pan; Zhang Zhang; Hao Wu; Ni Yao; Dawei Cai; Yingxin Xu; Jin Zhang; Guofei Sun; Liqiang Wang; Weidong Geng; Wenguang Jin; Wei Fang; Dawei Di; Limin Tong

doi:10.29026/oea.2020.190022

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Zhang L, Pan J, Zhang Z, Wu H, Yao N et al. Ultrasensitive skin‐like wearable optical sensors based on glass micro/nanofibers. Opto‐Electron Adv 3, 190022 (2020). doi: 10.29026/oea.2020.190022

Citation:

Zhang L, Pan J, Zhang Z, Wu H, Yao N et al. Ultrasensitive skin‐like wearable optical sensors based on glass micro/nanofibers. Opto‐Electron Adv 3, 190022 (2020). doi: 10.29026/oea.2020.190022

Original Article Open Access

Ultrasensitive skin-like wearable optical sensors based on glass micro/nanofibers

1.
State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
2.
College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
3.
College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
4.
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom

More Information

^*Corresponding authors: L Zhang, E-mail: zhang_lei@zju.edu.cn; L M Tong, E-mail: phytong@zju.edu.cn

Received Date 21 June 2019

Accepted Date 23 September 2019

Available Online 20 March 2020

Published Date 20 March 2020

Abstract

Abstract

Electronic skin, a class of wearable electronic sensors that mimic the functionalities of human skin, has made remarkable success in applications including health monitoring, human-machine interaction and electronic-biological interfaces. While electronic skin continues to achieve higher sensitivity and faster response, its ultimate performance is fundamentally limited by the nature of low-frequency AC currents. Herein, highly sensitive skin-like wearable optical sensors are demonstrated by embedding glass micro/nanofibers (MNFs) in thin layers of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Enabled by the transition from guided modes into radiation modes of the waveguiding MNFs upon external stimuli, the skin-like optical sensors show ultrahigh sensitivity (1870 kPa^-1), low detection limit (7 mPa) and fast response (10 μs) for pressure sensing, significantly exceeding the performance metrics of state-of-the-art electronic skins. Electromagnetic interference (EMI)-free detection of high-frequency vibrations, wrist pulse and human voice are realized. Moreover, a five-sensor optical data glove and a 2×2-MNF tactile sensor are demonstrated. These initial results pave the way toward a new category of optical devices ranging from ultrasensitive wearable sensors to optical skins.
- optical micro/nanofiber /
- pressure sensor /
- tactile sensor /
- wearable sensor

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References

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