High-Performance Flexible Sensor Based on Multi-Level Microstructure

Flexible pressure sensors have garnered extensive attention in wearable medical applications due to their stretchability and conformability to curved surfaces. However, limitations in sensitivity and measurement range can compromise their responsiveness to both subtle pressure variations and broader pressure ranges. Optimizing the sensing layer structure of the sensor can improve stress distribution and enhance overall performance. An innovative hierarchically responsive pyramid microstructure array sensor is designed in this study. Using high-precision 3D-printed molds, the sensor was manufactured with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the substrate material. Experimental results demonstrate that the sensor achieves high sensitivity (0.0741 kPa−1) in the low-pressure regime (0–15 kPa) while maintaining excellent linearity (R2=0.98) in the high-pressure range (15–90 kPa). Remarkably, the device exhibits fast response characteristics with 40 ms response time and 34 ms recovery time. This advancement provides a potential solution for human motion analysis and pathological detection applications.