Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTSFraunhofer IKTS develops printable magnetoresistive (MR) sensors on flexible (polymer tapes, paper) and rigid (ceramics) substrates. Using printing methods allows better scalability, easier integration, and reduced costs of the sensors manufacturing as compared to PVD technology and lithography. This also enables large-area sensor arrays and mechanically flexible sensors. Realizing certain types of MR sensors on ceramic substrates shows potential for their applications at temperatures higher than 200°C.
Key features of the technology
- Manufacturing relying on printing methods (screen-/dispenser/inkjet) in combination with diode laser array post-processing
- Processing in air, no need for vacuum technology, PVD and lithography
- Realization on Kapton (PI), PET, paper, ceramic substrates and stretchable polymer substrates
- Low total thickness of the sensors (including substrate, sensing layer, contacting and encapsulation): < 200 µm (demonstrated), < 100 µm (in development) as a key for applications in wearables and air gaps of electrical machines
- Large area, simple realization of sensor arrays
- Mechanical flexibility
Specifications of the sensors
Ordinary or large magnetoresistive effect (Bismuth-based sensors)
- Non-critical, cost-efficient, non-toxic material
- High effect, large fields (0.1-7 T), no saturation: 8 % (0.5T, RT), 146 % (5 T, RT), > 4000 % (7 T, 5 K)
- Resolution: 14 µT (0.1 T), 2.8 µT (>1 T)
- Linearity above 300 mT, > 2000 bending cycles
- Potential applications: direct magnetic flux measurements in electrical machines, contactless switches
