This paper presents a novel method to fabricate temperature sensor arrays by dispensing a graphite-polydimethylsiloxane composite on flexible polyimide films. The fabricated temperature sensor array has 64 sensing cells in a 4×4 cm2 area. The sensor array can be used as humanoid artificial skin for sensation system of robots. Interdigitated copper electrodes were patterned on the flexible polyi...

This paper presents a wireless pressure sensor design based on magnetic fluid displacement over a planar coil and its corresponding inductance change. The design of the pressure sensor is presented followed by its fabrication and characterization. Experimental results show a good correlation with a nonlinear model relating the applied pressure to the change in coil self-resonant frequency. A pr...

The relationships between the color intensities of polyimide films and the electronic properties of their source materials-aromatic diamines and aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides-are discussed. The arrangement of the diamine moieties in order of color intensity of polyimides shows fairly good agreement with the order of the electron-donating properties of the diamines estimated from 15N NMR...

A polyimide-coated substrate was rubbed in such a way as to possess two competing easy axes for liquid crystal alignment. On cooling a homeotropically aligned liquid crystal through the smectic-A phase toward the smectic-C phase transition, an increasing tilt of the molecules relative to the layer normal was observed. The tilt was localized to within a smectic-C correlation length of the interf...

A uniform stripe-shaped domain (SSD) structure was obtained in the initial ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) alignment by rubbing the polyimide films doped with silicon naphthalocyanine. Such a surface-stabilized FLC cell exhibits a high contrast ratio and excellent bistability. Atomic force microscope images and pretilt angle measurement results demonstrated that the rubbing-induced polishing...

Two problems of technological importance for microelectromechanical systems ~MEMS! and microelectronics industry are addressed: fatigue of thin films and nanoscale film cracking. A device is described that can ~1! conduct biaxial fatigue tests on thin films and ~2! be utilized to study fracture patterns in nanoscale coatings under biaxial stress state. Thin-film specimens, in the form of circul...

We present a novel microfabrication process for realizing a new type of flexible sensory "smart skin". In this work, we focus on demonstration of a skin containing a two dimensional array of tactile sensors using polyimide and metal strain gauges. A novel polymer microfabrication approach coupled with surface release methods is demonstrated. The process yields flexible sensory skins in a low co...

Polyimide shells are used as targets in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiments. These shells are filled with DT gas, then cooled to low temperatures for cryogenic laser shots. During target preparation, shells require careful pressure and temperature control due to their sensitivity. The pressure is governed partly by permeation through the shell wall, which can only be determined with t...

A substrate coated with an achiral polyimide alignment layer was scribed bidirectionally with the stylus of an atomic force microscope to create an easy axis for liquid crystal orientation. The resulting noncentrosymmetric topography resulted in a chiral surface that manifests itself at the molecular level. To show this unambiguously, a planar-aligned negative dielectric aniostropy achiral nema...

Fluidic self-alignment of micro-components relies on creating a receptor site that is able to confine a liquid droplet. When a micro-component is brought in contact with the droplet, capillary forces move the component to its final position. A method to stop the advancing of a liquid from a receptor site, consists of creating geometrical features, such as edges around the site. A picosecond pul...