Tunneling Barrier-Integrated Gold Nanofilms for Negative Strain Gauging with Near-Zero Energy Consumption
Wireless strain sensors with minimal power needs are essential for long-term monitoring in energy-limited environments. We present a soft tunneling barrier-integrated gold thin film for negative strain sensing with near-zero energy consumption. The device features a strain-induced transition from an insulating to a metallic state, increasing conductivity by 9 orders of magnitude under a controlled strain. It consists of Au-PDMS-Au nanofilm layers, where the Au structures are near the percolation threshold and the PDMS layer acts as a tunneling barrier. Under strain, thinning due to the Poisson effect lowers the barrier's potential height, enabling electron tunneling and forming an electrical path. With a standby power consumption of ∼10<sup>-5</sup> mW over 10<sup>6</sup> times lower than conventional sensors (∼12.5 mW), this device is ideal for real-time, long-term stationary structural monitoring in multiple locations.
Authors
- Soosang Chae (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1056-6572)
- Quinn A. Besford (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1779-9176)
- Su-Hyeong Lee
- Andreas Fery (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6692-3762)
- Won Jin Choi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6303-8899)
Institutions
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (US)
- Korea University of Technology and Education (KR)
- Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research (DE)
- Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nano Letters
- Published
- 2025-02-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c06365
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.35
Funders
- Laboratory Directed Research and Development