High-Sensitivity Force Sensors Based on Novel Materials

Abstract

Accurately measuring weak forces has always been an enduring topic in the scientific community. With the continuous improvement in the sensitivity of force sensors, researchers have been able to detect smaller forces, leading to inventing groundbreaking equipment for discovering unknown phenomena. The vibrant development of materials science and micro-nanofabrication techniques has enabled the enhancement of sensitivity while miniaturizing force sensors based on special 3-dimensional materials and structures. However, due to limitations in further miniaturizing and improving sensors made from these materials, there has been an increasing focus and research on novel force sensors based on low-dimensional materials. Low-dimensional materials, characterized by their inherent small sizes and excellent electrical, mechanical, and optical properties, offer an effortless route to device miniaturization and enable a marked increase in sensitivity. Even with carbon nanotubes, a well-known 1-dimensional material, the performance achieved is incredibly remarkable. These emerging force sensors serve as crucial platforms for researchers to explore more diverse physical phenomena and unveil fundamental laws. Additionally, low-dimensional material force sensors facilitate integration with extensive applications in various fields, such as wearable devices, medical biosensors, environmental monitoring, and motion tracking. Hence, these force sensors hold great research significance and possess immense prospects for practical applications. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview and summary of high-sensitivity force sensors based on novel materials, present the latest advancements, and discuss the challenges and future directions for these pivotal devices.