Flexible pulse-wave sensors from oriented aluminum nitride nanocolumns

Flexible pulse-wave sensors were fabricated from density-packed oriented aluminum nitride nanocolumns prepared on aluminum foils. The nanocolumns were prepared by the rf magnetron sputtering method and were perpendicularly oriented to the aluminum foil surfaces. The sensor structure is laminated, and the structure contributes to avoiding unexpected leakage of an electric charge. The resulting sensor thickness is 50 μm. The sensor is flexible like aluminum foil and can respond to frequencies from 0.1 to over 100 Hz. The sensitivity of the sensor to pressure is proportional to the surface area. The sensor sensitively causes reversible charge signals that correlate with the pulse wave form, which contains significant information on arteriosclerosis and cardiopathy of a man sitting on it.