Development of Flexible Piezoelectric Strain Sensor Array

Abstract

In this paper, we present a novel flexible sensor array manufacturing process that involves transfer printing methods using a chip mounter with a vacuum collet. We successfully transfer-printed continuously very fragile microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based 5-mm-long, 1-mm-wide, 5-µm-thick high-aspect-ratio ultra-thin PZT(1.9µm)/Si(3µm) strain sensors onto a polyimide based flexible printed-circuit (FPC) substrate with etched Cu wiring. Then, we connected the sensors to the Cu wiring by printing insulating and conductive pastes using a screen printer. The output voltage based on the deformation behavior of the test plate was generated from the flexible piezoelectric strain sensor array attached to the plate. Therefore, the developed piezoelectric sensor array is capable of easily performing the distribution measurement of the strain leading to damage such as cracks.