Recent development of multifunctional sensors based on low-dimensional materials

Abstract

With the demand for accurately recognizing human actions and environmental situations, multifunctional sensors are essential elements for smart applications in various emerging technolo-gies, such as smart robots, human-machine interface, and wearable electronics. Low-dimensional materials provide fertile soil for multifunction-integrated devices. This review focuses on the mul-tifunctional sensors for mechanical stimulus and environmental information, such as strain, pres-sure, light, temperature, and gas, which are fabricated from low-dimensional materials. The material characteristics, device architecture, transmission mechanisms, and sensing functions are com-prehensively and systematically introduced. Besides multiple sensing functions, the integrated po-tential ability of supplying energy and expressing and storing information are also demonstrated. Some new process technologies and emerging research areas are highlighted. It is presented that optimization of device structures, appropriate material selection for synergy effect, and application of piezotronics and piezo-phototronics are effective approaches for constructing and improving the performance of multifunctional sensors. Finally, the current challenges and direction of future development are proposed.