Nanospring pressure sensors grown by glancing angle deposition.
Arrays of Cr zigzag nanosprings and slanted nanorods, 15-55 nm and 40-80-nm-wide, respectively, were grown on SiO2/Si substrates by glancing angle deposition. The arrays exhibit a reversible change in resistivity upon loading and unloading, by 50% for nanosprings and 5% for nanorods, indicating their potential as pressure sensors. The resistivity drop is due to a compression of nanosprings (by a measured 19% for an applied external force of 10(-10) N per spring), which causes them to physically touch their neighbors, providing a path for electric current to flow between nanosprings. Repeated loading and unloading at large loads (> or =1 MPa) results in irreversible plastic deformation and a degradation of the pressure sensitivity.
Kesapragada
S V
SV
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180, USA.
Victor
P
P
Nalamasu
O
O
Gall
D
D
D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008365:Manometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D014159:Transducers
D002857:Chromium; D012822:Silicon Dioxide