Dielectric elastomer transducer and corresponding fabrication process

Abstract

For improving the sensitivity, lifetime and energy consumption of a dielectric elastomer transducer () to be used as a sensor, it is suggested that a dielectric layer () enclosed by two electrodes () of the transducer () includes a nanoscale volume of a fluid () such that the dielectric layer () is rendered compressible and/or displaceable out of a volume enclosed by the two electrodes (). The advantage of such a design is that, although the dielectric layer () and possible buffer layers () separating the electrodes () from the dielectric layer () may all have thicknesses in the order of a few μm or even in the sub-μm range, the transducer () is rendered highly compliant due to the movability of the fluid (). In consequence, a large nominal capacitance of the transducer () as well as a large relative capacitance change (up to twenty times that of the nominal capacitance) can be achieved in conjunction with a very high sensitivity.