Visualizing Dynamic Mechanical Actions with High Sensitivity and High Resolution by Near-Distance Mechanoluminescence Imaging

Proportionally converting the applied mechanical energy into photons by individual mechanoluminescent (ML) micrometer-sized particles opens a new way to develop intelligent electronic skins as it promises high-resolution stress distribution visualization and fast response. However, a big challenge for ML sensing technology is its low sensitivity in detecting stress. In this work, a novel stress distribution sensor with the detection sensitivity enhanced by two orders of magnitude is developed by combining a proposed near-distance ML imaging scheme with an improved mechano-to-photon convertor. The enhanced sensitivity is the main contributor to the realization of a maximum photon harvesting rate of ≈80% in the near-distance ML imaging scheme. The developed near-distance ML sensor shows a high sensitivity with a detection limit down to ≈kPa level, high spatial resolution of 254 dpi, and fast response with an interval of 3.3 ms, which allows for high-resolution and real-time visualization of complex mechanical actions such as irregular solid contacts or fluid impacts, and thus enables use in intelligent electronic skin, structural health monitoring, and human-computer interaction.