Making imprinted thin-film electronic sensor structure

A method of making an imprinted electronic sensor structure on a substrate for sensing an environmental factor, comprising:

• coating a curable layer on the substrate, imprinting the curable layer to form micro-channels in the curable layer, and curing the curable layer to form a plurality of spatially separated micro-channels extending from the layer surface into the cured layer;
• locating a first layer in the micro-channels, and locating a second layer at least partly over the first layer to form a multi-layer micro-wire in each micro-channel, wherein either:
• the step of locating the first layer in the micro-channels includes forming a cured electrical conductor as a conductive layer located only within the micro-channel, and the step of locating the second layer at least partly over the first layer includes providing the second layer that is a reactive layer;
• or
• the step of locating the first layer in the micro-channels includes providing the first layer as a reactive layer, and the step of locating the second layer at least partly over the first layer includes forming a cured electrical conductor as a conductive layer located only within the micro-channel;
• forming an inert layer located between the conductive layer and the reactive layer, the inert layer preventing chemical reactions between the reactive layer and the conductive layer;
• and
• exposing the reactive layer to the environmental factor and so that at least a portion of the reactive layer responds to the environmental factor.