Pressure sensor device with organic electrochemical transistors with microstructured hydrogel gating medium

Abstract

A low power-consumption iontronic pressure sensor is disclosed that is based on OECT where an ionic hydrogel is used as solid gating medium for pressure sensing transistor elements formed thereon. The pressure sensor includes a substrate containing one or more pressure sensing transistor elements with each transistor element including a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a channel formed from a material comprising an electrically conducting polymer. A microstructured solid gel electrolyte having a plurality of microstructures formed thereon serves as the gating medium and is disposed atop the channel. A gate electrode is disposed on the microstructured solid gel electrolyte. The resultant iontronic pressure sensor may be operated at voltages less than 1 V, with a power-consumption between ˜101-103 μW, while maintaining a tunable sensitivity between 1˜10 kPa−1.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.