Combination of polymer sensors with organic electronics: ideas and developments

摘要

Step by step, everyday items are more and more featured with sensor functions in order to increase the item's capability for self-controlling, self-monitoring or communication with other devices and people. Some of the most interesting physical properties which are to be measured by sensors are pressure and temperature (infrared radiation). In order to equip commodity items with sensor functions it is often necessary to apply efficient processing techniques in order to reduce the costs. Low production costs can be realized by large-area processing techniques, such as reel-to-reel technologies using printing and imprinting tools, and, in-line vacuum processing schemes, as well.rnSince several years, research activities are carried out in order to realize printable electronics. The combination of printable sensors and printable electronics enables one to increase the degree of device integration within the same process line. Besides, experience gained in the field of research of printable electronics can be exploited in order to achieve printable pressure and temperature sensors. In a first approach, simple organic thin-film transistors are applied in order to match the impedance of the sensor devices and to amplify the sensor signal.