Advancing thin-film materials processing for flexible sensor fabrication

滑铁卢大学和Forcen的合作旨在开发使用先进的薄膜制造方法的可伸缩、柔韧的力传感薄膜。传统制造的力传感薄膜，包括那些由Forcen开发的薄膜，使智能机器人在医疗、航空航天和制造业中得到越来越多的采用。然而，随着对定制传感器和快速传感器部署的需求不断增加，需要一种数字化制造方法。对金属和聚合物薄膜沉积、薄膜图案化和薄膜层热处理的研究着眼于推动薄膜材料的加工，以实现从定制传感器设计到最终产品的更快过渡。 这项研究的目的是加深我们对薄膜加工技术以及表面化学和表面物理之间的关系的理解。金属和聚合物的结合涉及复杂的机制，依赖于表面官能团及其与金属氧化物的相互作用，这些官能团可以在加工过程中有意或无意地改变。此外，我们的目标是扩大我们对表面化学对加工过程中薄膜界面上发生的物理相互作用的影响的理解。 这些领域的进步不仅将显著缩短制造时间，还将提高传感器屏蔽、热稳定性和环境耐受性。该项目的成果将使加拿大的一家公司--Forcenen--处于集成力传感技术的智能工业机器人领域的前沿，并使加拿大的一所大学--滑铁卢大学--处于薄膜传感器研究的前沿。

The collaboration between the University of Waterloo and Forcen aims to develop scalable, flexible force-sensing films using advanced thin-film fabrication methods. Conventionally manufactured force sensing films, including those developed by Forcen, enable the increasing adoption of smart robotics in the medical, aerospace, and manufacturing industries. However, with increasing demand for custom sensors and rapid sensor deployment, a digital manufacturing methodology is required. Research into metal and polymer thin-film deposition, thin-film patterning, and thermal treatment of thin-film layers looks to advance the processing of thin-film materials to allow for faster transition between custom sensor design and final product. The aim of this research is to further our understanding of the relationship between thin-film processing techniques, and both surface chemistry and surface physics. The bonding of metals and polymers involves complex mechanisms that depend on surface functional groups and their interaction with metal oxides, which can be altered - both intentionally and unintentionally - during processing. Additionally, we aim to expand our understanding of the surface chemistry's influence on physical interactions that occur at thin-film interfaces during processing. Advances in these areas will not only significantly reduce manufacturing times, but also improve sensor shielding, thermal stability, and environmental resistance. The outcome of this project will place a Canadian company - Forcen - at the forefront of smart industrial robotics with integrated force-sensing technologies, and place a Canadian university - the University of Waterloo - at the forefront of thin-film sensor research.