Taxel-Addressable Matrix of Vertical-Nanowire Piezotronic Transistors for Active and Adaptive Tactile Imaging

TLDR

Designing, fabricating, and integrating arrays of nanodevices into functional systems is key to translating nanoscale science into applicable nanotechnology, and 3D piezotronic transistor arrays have potential applications in human‑electronics interfacing, smart skin, and micro‑ and nano‑electromechanical systems. Using the piezoelectric polarization charges created at a metal‑semiconductor interface under strain to gate/modulate the transport process of local charge carriers, we designed independently addressable two‑terminal transistor arrays that convert mechanical stimuli applied to the devices into local electronic controlling signals. We report a large‑array 3D circuitry integration of piezotronic transistors based on vertical zinc oxide nanowires that functions as an active taxel‑addressable pressure/force sensor matrix for tactile imaging, enabling shape‑adaptive high‑resolution tactile imaging and self‑powered, multidimensional active sensing.

Abstract

Designing, fabricating, and integrating arrays of nanodevices into a functional system are the key to transferring nanoscale science into applicable nanotechnology. We report large-array three-dimensional (3D) circuitry integration of piezotronic transistors based on vertical zinc oxide nanowires as an active taxel-addressable pressure/force sensor matrix for tactile imaging. Using the piezoelectric polarization charges created at a metal-semiconductor interface under strain to gate/modulate the transport process of local charge carriers, we designed independently addressable two-terminal transistor arrays, which convert mechanical stimuli applied to the devices into local electronic controlling signals. The device matrix can achieve shape-adaptive high-resolution tactile imaging and self-powered, multidimensional active sensing. The 3D piezotronic transistor array may have applications in human-electronics interfacing, smart skin, and micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems.