A pressure sensor

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a pressure sensor, and relates to the technical field of sensors, and provides a pressure sensor including a housing and a solid-state electrolyte assembly; the solid-state electrolyte assembly is located in the housing and is configured to generate a measurement signal related to pressure in response to pressure acting on the housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of sensor technology, and specifically to a pressure sensor. Background Technology

[0002] Pressure sensors are among the most widely used sensors in industry and daily life. With the rise of the consumer electronics industry and the development of human-computer interaction technology, higher requirements are constantly being placed on the size, sensitivity, and linearity of sensors.

[0003] Some embodiments in this specification are intended to provide a pressure sensor with better sensitivity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This specification provides a pressure sensor according to one or more embodiments, comprising a housing and a solid electrolyte assembly; the solid electrolyte assembly is located within the housing and configured to generate a pressure-related measurement signal in response to pressure acting on the housing. Because the movement of conductive ions contained within the solid electrolyte assembly does not depend on volatile liquids or moisture, the stability and reliability of the pressure sensor can be effectively improved while ensuring its sensitivity.

[0005] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit. The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have an electrode contact surface, and the contact area between the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit and the first electrode and / or the second electrode changes with the pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with the pressure. The area of ​​the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit can follow the pressure change, thereby causing a change in the contact capacitance between the solid electrolyte unit and the electrode, so that the measurement signal can effectively carry pressure information.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the first electrode is a flexible electrode, and the first electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit; the second electrode is electrically connected to a second surface of the solid electrolyte unit. The flexible electrode can more sensitively respond to pressure by changing the contact area between the flexible electrode and the solid electrolyte unit, effectively improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, both the first electrode and the second electrode are flexible electrodes. The first electrode is configured to face a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is configured to face a second surface of the solid electrolyte unit, thereby forming electrode contact surfaces on the first surface and the second surface, respectively. When both the first electrode and the second electrode are flexible electrodes, the contact area between the solid electrolyte unit and the first and second electrodes changes under pressure, which can further improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, both the first electrode and the second electrode are flexible electrodes. The first electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to a first region of a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to a second region of a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, so that electrode contact surfaces are formed in the first region and the second region of the first surface, respectively. The first electrode and the second electrode are located on the same side of the solid electrolyte unit, making the arrangement of electrode leads more convenient.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit, wherein the third electrode is a flexible electrode; the solid electrolyte unit includes a first solid electrolyte unit and a second solid electrolyte unit; the third electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit, so as to form electrode contact surfaces on the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit, respectively; the contact area between the electrode contact surface and the third electrode changes with the pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with the pressure; the first electrode is electrically connected to the second surface of the first solid electrolyte unit; the second electrode is electrically connected to the second surface of the second solid electrolyte unit.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the stiffness of the flexible electrode is less than 60°A, thereby enabling the pressure sensor to have better sensitivity.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, microstructures are provided on the surface of the flexible electrode that contacts the solid electrolyte unit. The microstructures on the flexible electrode help improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the thickness of the flexible electrode is 1µm to 500µm, which allows the pressure sensor to be miniaturized while ensuring the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the surface roughness of the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit is 0.1 μm to 200 μm, which allows the pressure sensor to be miniaturized while ensuring the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the electrode contact surface is provided with microstructures to further improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the solid electrolyte unit includes an insulating substrate containing solid electrolyte particles. Using solid electrolyte particles and an insulating substrate to fabricate the solid electrolyte unit helps reduce production costs and improve the mechanical strength of the solid electrolyte unit, while reducing the loss rate.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, at least one side of at least a portion of the solid electrolyte particles extends beyond the surface of the insulating substrate. The fact that at least one side of each solid electrolyte particle extends beyond the insulating substrate creates an uneven structure on the surface of the insulating substrate, forming a contact interface with the flexible electrode, thereby achieving better sensitivity.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, at least some of the solid electrolyte particles have a particle size greater than 1 / 10 of the thickness of the insulating substrate, or the mass ratio of the solid electrolyte particles to the insulating substrate is greater than 1 / 10, which can significantly improve the dielectric constant of the insulating substrate containing solid electrolyte particles and improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the solid electrolyte unit is configured to have a through-slit.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit; the first electrode and the second electrode are respectively electrically connected to the solid electrolyte unit; the solid electrolyte unit is configured to have a through-crack, and the measurement signal changes with the pressure. The solid electrolyte unit contains mobile conductive ions. Due to the presence of the through-crack, ions inside the solid electrolyte cannot pass through the crack, thus forming a large interface capacitance at the crack interface. The interface capacitance is related to the width of the through-crack. When pressure is applied to the housing and transmitted to the solid electrolyte unit, causing a change in the width of the through-crack, the interface capacitance also changes, enabling the measurement signal to carry pressure information and achieve the purpose of detecting the pressure value.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the width of the through crack is less than 10 μm, which helps to improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the first electrode is conductively connected to a first region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is conductively connected to a second region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit; the angle between the through-crack and the first surface is greater than 0° and less than 180°, so as to effectively sense pressure in multiple directions and improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor. When the aforementioned angle is set to be greater than 0° and less than 180°, the solid electrolyte unit is also easier to manufacture.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the vertical projection of the through-crack on the first surface is located between the first region and the second region. The first electrode and the second electrode are respectively disposed on both sides of the through-crack inside the solid electrolyte unit, avoiding the same electrode bridging both sides of the through-crack, which helps reduce interference during signal acquisition and improves measurement accuracy.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the conductivity of the solid electrolyte unit is greater than 10. -6 S / cm.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the pressure sensor provided in this specification, the housing includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and one or more supports; the one or more supports are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and divide the space between the first substrate and the second substrate into one or more accommodating regions; the solid electrolyte components are respectively disposed in the one or more accommodating regions. Arranging multiple solid electrolyte components in an array allows for the detection of both pressure magnitude and pressure position.

[0025] In summary, the beneficial effects of some embodiments of this specification include, but are not limited to, the following aspects: (1) The solid-state voltage-isolated pressure sensor provided in some embodiments of this specification has significantly improved stability and reliability because it does not contain liquid or water. (2) The pressure sensor provided in some embodiments of this specification has a simple structure and is easy to process and manufacture, effectively reducing production costs and making it more suitable for large-scale production. (3) The flexible electrode in the pressure sensor is prone to deformation under pressure, thereby causing a larger change in interface capacitance inside the sensor and improving measurement sensitivity. (4) The composite solid electrolyte unit provided in some embodiments of this specification helps to further reduce production costs and improve the mechanical strength of the solid electrolyte unit, reducing the loss rate. (5) Processing through cracks on the solid electrolyte unit helps to further improve the sensitivity of the sensor. (6) The pressure sensor provided in some embodiments of this specification includes multiple solid electrolyte components arranged in an array, achieving high-sensitivity detection of pressure magnitude and high-sensitivity detection of pressure position. It should be understood that the above beneficial effects can be reflected in different embodiments of this specification, and the same embodiment may have more than one of the aforementioned beneficial effects at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0026] This specification will be further described by way of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting; in these embodiments, the same reference numerals denote the same structures, wherein:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some other embodiments of this specification.

[0029] Figure 3 These are schematic diagrams of the solid electrolyte unit and flexible electrode shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0032] Figure 6 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the solid electrolyte unit shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the solid electrolyte unit shown in some other embodiments of this specification.

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the solid electrolyte unit shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0037] Figure 11 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0038] Figure 12 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification.

[0039] In the diagram, the following labels are used: 100 Pressure sensor; 110 Housing; 120 Solid-state electrolyte assembly; 200 Pressure sensor; 211 First substrate; 212 Second substrate; 213 Support; 221 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 2211 First microstructure; 222 First electrode; 2221 Second microstructure; 223 Second electrode; 300 Pressure sensor; 311 First substrate; 312 Second substrate; 313 Support; 321 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 322 First electrode; 323 Second electrode; 400 Pressure sensor; 411 First substrate; 412 Second substrate; 413 Support; 421 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 422 First electrode; 423 Second electrode; 500 Pressure sensor; 511 First substrate; 512 Second substrate; 513 Support; 5 21-1 First solid-state electrolyte unit; 521-2 Second solid-state electrolyte unit; 522 First electrode; 523 Second electrode; 524 Third electrode; 600 Pressure sensor; 611 First substrate; 612 Second substrate; 613 Support; 625 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 6251 Solid-state electrolyte particles; 6252 Insulating substrate; 622 First electrode; 623 Second electrode; 721 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 7211 Through-crack; 800 Pressure sensor; 811 Protective sleeve; 812 Substrate; 821 Solid-state electrolyte unit; 8211 Through-crack; 822 First electrode; 823 Second electrode; 900 Pressure sensor; 911 First substrate; 912 Second substrate; 913 Support; 920-1, 920-2 Solid-state electrolyte assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments in this specification, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0041] Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, some technical feature terms used in this specification are not singular and may include plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate that explicitly identified steps and elements are included, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list; the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0042] Flowcharts are used in this specification to illustrate the operations performed by the system according to embodiments of this specification. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed in exact order. Instead, the steps can be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, other operations can be added to these processes, or one or more steps can be removed from them.

[0043] Pressure sensors are used to convert pressure signals into electrical signals or other readable signals for monitoring, control, or recording. They are among the most widely used sensors in industry and daily life. With the rise of the consumer electronics industry and the development of human-computer interaction technology, higher requirements are constantly being placed on the size, sensitivity, and linearity of sensors.

[0044] Pressure sensors can include capacitive pressure sensors, piezoresistive pressure sensors, piezoelectric pressure sensors, and so on. Capacitive pressure sensors work by sensing pressure through a change in capacitance within the sensor itself. Ionized gel pressure sensors are an emerging high-sensitivity capacitive sensing approach. They use ionized gel materials as the dielectric layer, leveraging the change in contact capacitance caused by the change in the contact area between the ionized gel surface and the metal electrode to significantly improve the sensor's sensitivity. However, the design and fabrication of ionized gel pressure sensors are complex, and the liquid or moisture in the ionized gel material is prone to evaporation, posing significant challenges in terms of cost and reliability, and thus have not yet achieved large-scale application.

[0045] This specification presents a solid-state pressure sensor solution with ultra-high pressure sensitivity, simple structure, and easy fabrication. Since the dielectric material is a solid material that does not contain moisture or liquid, it has excellent reliability and stability, making it suitable for large-scale applications, such as pressure-sensitive buttons in electronic products.

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the pressure sensor 100 includes a housing 110 and a solid electrolyte assembly 120 located within the housing 110 and configured to generate a measurement signal related to the pressure acting on the housing 110.

[0047] In some embodiments, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 may be a component comprising a solid electrolyte material. For example, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 may include a solid electrolyte unit made of a solid electrolyte material. A solid electrolyte material is an ion-conducting material existing in a solid state, containing freely moving ions while simultaneously confining them within its interior, meaning that charges cannot penetrate the solid electrolyte material. Exemplary solid electrolyte materials include, but are not limited to, polymer solid electrolytes (such as polyethylene oxide (PEO) and its modified forms), oxide solid electrolytes (such as lithium steel titanium oxide (LLTO), lithium steel zirconium oxide (LLZO), lithium titanium aluminum phosphate (LATP), etc.), sulfide electrolytes (such as lithium germanium phosphorus sulfide (LGPS)), halide electrolytes (such as lithium chloride, lithium bromide), composite electrolytes, superionic conductors (such as sulfide-based electrolytes (Li2S-P2S5) or sodium superionic conductors (NASICON), two-dimensional material electrolytes (using two-dimensional materials (such as graphene, MXene) as the electrolyte substrate or additive), inorganic-organic hybrid electrolytes, and so on. In some embodiments, to achieve higher sensitivity, the ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte material (or solid electrolyte unit) is greater than 10. - 6 S / cm, for example, conductivity could be 10. -5 S / cm, 10 -4 S / cm, 10 -3 S / cm, or 10 -2 S / cm, etc. In some embodiments, the solid electrolyte unit may have a certain geometric shape. For example, the solid electrolyte unit may be a cuboid, columnar, sheet-like, spherical, or irregular shape. Specifically, the solid electrolyte material can be ground into powder, and then the powder can be pressed into a solid electrolyte unit with a certain geometric shape using a mold.

[0048] The housing 110 serves to protect the solid electrolyte assembly. In some embodiments, the housing 110 may be closed. In other embodiments, the housing 110 may be open, such as having a through-hole connecting the internal cavity of the housing to the outside, or a semi-closed structure lacking at least one wall or surface. The housing 110 also serves to transmit pressure; specifically, pressure can be applied to the housing and then further transmitted to the solid electrolyte assembly. In some embodiments, the housing 110 may be integrally formed or assembled from two or more housing assemblies. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the housing 110 is deformable (e.g., elastically deformable) so that pressure can be effectively transmitted to the solid electrolyte assembly 120 inside the housing, thereby improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0049] In some embodiments, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 has an interface capacitance that changes under pressure, thereby converting the pressure into a related measurement signal. Since the solid electrolyte unit contains mobile conductive ions, when it comes into contact with a charged conductor, these ions accumulate in the contact area under charge induction to achieve electric field balance and form an interface capacitance (or contact capacitance), which is positively correlated with the size of the contact area between the solid electrolyte unit and the charged conductor. Therefore, in some embodiments, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 may further include electrodes for outputting and / or receiving excitation signals that put the solid electrolyte assembly 120 into an operational state. The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have an electrode contact surface, the contact area of ​​which changes with the pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with the pressure. Accordingly, when the solid electrolyte assembly 120 is energized and in an operational state and the interface capacitance changes, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 can output a changing measurement signal.

[0050] In some embodiments, the electrode for deriving the measurement signal and the electrode for receiving the excitation signal may be different. In other embodiments, the electrode for deriving the measurement signal and the electrode for receiving the excitation signal may be the same electrode. For example, the electrodes of the solid electrolyte assembly 120 are electrically connected to a readout circuit, which can acquire the measurement signal through the electrodes. In this process, the electrodes are electrically connected to the readout circuit and can receive the excitation signal from the readout circuit. When pressure is applied to the solid electrolyte assembly, causing a change in its interface capacitance, the electrical signal on the electrodes changes, which can be considered as the electrodes simultaneously deriving the measurement signal.

[0051] In some embodiments, the solid electrolyte assembly 120 includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit. The first and second electrodes are configured to receive an excitation signal and output a measurement signal; alternatively, the first and second electrodes are configured to receive an excitation signal, with the measurement signal output by another electrode. The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have an electrode contact surface, the contact area between the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit and the first and / or second electrodes changing with pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with pressure.

[0052] The excitation signal can be a power signal or other basic electrical signal required for the pressure sensor to operate. When an excitation signal is applied, the first electrode and / or the second electrode can be considered as charged conductors. When the solid electrolyte unit comes into contact with the electrode to which the excitation signal is applied, under the influence of charge induction, the conductive ions inside the solid electrolyte unit will accumulate in the contact area (such as the electrode contact surface) to achieve electric field balance and form an interface capacitance. The interface capacitance is positively correlated with the size of the contact area between the electrode contact surface and the charged electrode. When external pressure is applied, the contact area between the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit and the first electrode and / or the second electrode changes, thereby causing a change in the interface capacitance and generating a pressure-related measurement signal.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the pressure sensor shown in some other embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 2 The housing of the pressure sensor 200 may further include a first substrate 211, a second substrate 212, and a support 213. The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212 are plate-shaped, with a thickness ranging from 5µm to 500µm (unless otherwise specified in this specification, the numerical range includes endpoints). The first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212 are disposed opposite to each other, and the support 213 is fixedly connected between the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212, thereby forming an accommodating space for placing the solid electrolyte assembly. Exemplary examples include, but are not limited to, bonding, welding, screw connection, snap-fitting, and riveting.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first substrate 211, the second substrate 212, and the support 213 cooperate to support and protect the solid electrolyte component in the sensitive area, while also effectively transmitting external pressure to the solid electrolyte component. Specifically, when the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212 are made of rigid or quasi-rigid materials, the support 213 can be made of flexible materials; conversely, when the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212 are made of flexible materials, the support 213 is made of rigid or quasi-rigid materials. This arrangement allows at least a portion of the pressure sensor housing to deform, achieving effective pressure transmission.

[0055] In some embodiments, the first substrate 211, the second substrate 212, and the support 213 are all made of non-conductive materials, thereby providing electrical isolation. In some exemplary embodiments, the first substrate 211 or the second substrate 212 can be a quasi-rigid PCB (Printed Circuit Board) material, or a flexible material such as FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), PI (Polyimide), PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), or silicone. In some embodiments, the support 213 can be made of non-conductive adhesives, such as hot melt adhesive, silicone, epoxy adhesive, or double-sided tape, used to bond the first substrate 211 and the second substrate 212 and provide support.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the solid electrolyte assembly may further include a solid electrolyte unit 221, a first electrode 222, and a second electrode 223. The first electrode 222 is a flexible electrode, configured to face the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221, thereby forming an electrode contact surface on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. The second electrode 223 is electrically connected to the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. This conductive connection can be a conductive fixed connection, which may include, but is not limited to, bonding with conductive adhesive or soldering.

[0057] exist Figure 2 In the pressure sensor shown, the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221 is the area on the surface of the solid electrolyte unit (such as the first surface) that can contact the flexible electrode. When external pressure is applied to the pressure sensor, the area of ​​the electrode contact surface will change.

[0058] In some embodiments, the hardness of the flexible electrode is less than 60°A (Shore hardness). Specifically, the hardness of the flexible electrode can be 55°A, 50°A, 45°A, 40°A, 30°A, etc. The lower the hardness of the flexible electrode, the more sensitive the change in the contact area of ​​the electrode contact surface on the solid electrolyte unit can be, thus making the pressure sensor more sensitive.

[0059] The first and second surfaces of the solid electrolyte unit 221 can be two distinct (e.g., opposite) surfaces. Taking a sheet-like or cuboid solid electrolyte unit 221 as an example, the first surface can be a large-area upper or lower surface, and correspondingly, the second surface can be a lower or upper surface. Relative arrangement can be understood as two objects having a relative positional relationship of facing or opposing each other, or as two objects being arranged face-to-face. The surfaces of the two objects arranged opposite each other can be in contact or not in contact. In some embodiments, the first electrode 222 is arranged opposite to the solid electrolyte unit 221, and the flexible first electrode 222 does not contact the first surface, with a gap between them. For example, the gap is 1µm to 100µm; exemplaryly, the gap between the first electrode 222 and the solid electrolyte unit 221 can be 1.5µm, 2µm, 3µm, 5µm, 8µm, 10µm, 30µm, 50µm, 80µm, 95µm, etc. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the flexible electrode allows it to contact the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221, and the contact area is positively correlated with the pressure. by Figure 2 As an example, the first substrate 211, the first electrode 222 (flexible electrode), the solid electrolyte unit 221, the second electrode 223, and the second substrate 212 can be arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The first electrode 222 can be fixed (e.g., bonded) to the lower surface of the first substrate 211. When there is no pressure, the first electrode 222 does not contact the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. When there is external pressure, the first substrate 211 moves downward, causing the first electrode 222 to contact the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. As the external pressure increases, the contact area between the first electrode 222 and the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221 increases. In some embodiments, the first electrode 222 is arranged opposite to the solid electrolyte unit 221, and the flexible first electrode 222 contacts the first surface. Specifically, when no external force is applied, the first electrode 222 is located on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. Since the surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221 is not smooth, that is, there are tiny protrusions on the first surface, the first electrode 222 only contacts these tiny protrusions. When the first electrode is charged, there is an initial interface capacitance value between the solid electrolyte unit 221 and the first electrode 222. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the first electrode 222 can significantly increase its contact area with the first surface, and thus the interface capacitance value also increases significantly, generating a measurement signal that changes with pressure.

[0060] In some embodiments, the flexible electrode can be made of flexible conductive silicone. In other embodiments, the conductive silicone can be further doped with conductive particles such as nano-metal powder or carbon powder. For example, the flexible electrode can be made of conductive PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane, or organosilicon) and other flexible conductive materials.

[0061] In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible electrode can range from 1 μm to 500 μm. Specifically, the thickness range of the flexible electrode can be 2 μm to 450 μm, or 5 μm to 400 μm, or 10 μm to 350 μm, or 20 μm to 300 μm, or 50 μm to 200 μm. For example, the thickness of the flexible electrode can be 3 μm, 8 μm, 15 μm, 30 μm, 80 μm, 100 μm, or 250 μm, etc. In some embodiments, the minimum thickness of the flexible electrode is related to the dimension (e.g., height) of the microstructure or protrusion structure of the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit in the direction perpendicular to the electrode contact surface. For example, the minimum thickness of the flexible electrode is not less than the dimension of the aforementioned microstructure or protrusion structure in the direction perpendicular to the electrode contact surface.

[0062] In some embodiments, the second electrode 223 can be rigid or flexible. The second electrode 223 and the solid electrolyte unit 221 can be bonded together with conductive adhesive or soldered together with solder or the like.

[0063] For further explanation of the first electrode 222 and the second electrode 223, please refer to the previous description of the electrodes, which will not be repeated here.

[0064] Continue with Figure 2 As an example, let the capacitance value of the first contact capacitor between the first electrode 222 and the solid electrolyte unit 221 be C1, and the capacitance value of the second contact capacitor between the second electrode 223 and the solid electrolyte unit 221 be C2. The first contact capacitor and the second contact capacitor are connected in series. Therefore, the total capacitance value C between the first electrode 222 and the second electrode 223 can be calculated by formula (1): The capacitance value C1 of the first contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the area S1 of the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221, while the capacitance value C2 of the second contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the contact area S2 between the second electrode 223 and the solid electrolyte unit 221. Since the contact area S2 is fixed, the total capacitance value C is mainly determined by the area S1 of the electrode contact surface. Specifically, the total capacitance value C is positively correlated with the area S1 of the electrode contact surface.

[0065] Figure 3 These are schematic diagrams of the solid electrolyte unit and flexible electrode shown in some embodiments of this specification. Figure 3The left side shows the situation where the pressure sensor is not subjected to external pressure. Due to the unevenness of the surface of the solid electrolyte unit, there are tiny protrusions. Therefore, the contact area between the first electrode 222 (flexible electrode) and the solid electrolyte unit 221 is very small, or in other words, the area of ​​the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221 is very small. Figure 3 The right side shows the situation when the pressure sensor is subjected to external pressure F. The solid electrolyte unit 221 does not deform much, while the flexible first electrode 222 deforms (such as being compressed) to wrap around the tiny protrusions on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. As the pressure F increases, the wrapped area also increases. The surface of the flexible electrode may even penetrate into the area between the protrusions on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221 and come into contact with the area between the protrusions. This causes the area S1 of the electrode contact surface to increase significantly with the pressure F. The total capacitance C between the first electrode 222 and the second electrode 223 also increases significantly with the pressure F. The pressure sensor has extremely high sensitivity.

[0066] In some embodiments, the surface of the flexible electrode opposite to the solid electrolyte unit can be flat or it can be provided with microstructures. For example, a second microstructure 2221 can be provided on the surface of the flexible first electrode 222 that contacts the solid electrolyte unit 221. The second microstructure 2221 includes, but is not limited to, pyramid arrays, trench arrays, or mesh structures. When the surface of the flexible electrode is provided with microstructures, it helps to further improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0067] Combination Figure 3 As shown, the surface roughness of the solid electrolyte unit (such as the surface roughness of the surface region on the solid electrolyte unit 221 that contacts the first electrode 222) also helps to improve the sensitivity of the pressure sensor. Surface roughness refers to the unevenness of an object's surface, characterized by small gaps and tiny peaks and valleys. Intuitively, an uneven object surface can form a wave-like pattern on a cross-section perpendicular to the surface. Surface roughness can be determined based on the difference between the highest and lowest points of this wave-like pattern. For example, surface roughness can be directly characterized by the difference between the highest and lowest points of this wave-like pattern, or it can be characterized by multiplying the aforementioned difference by a scaling factor, such as 0.4 or 0.6. In some embodiments, the surface roughness of the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit ranges from 0.1 μm to 200 μm. In some embodiments, the surface roughness of the solid electrolyte unit can be 0.5um to 150um, or 1um to 100um, etc. For example, the surface roughness of the solid electrolyte unit can be 0.8um, 2um, 6um, 10um, 30um, 50um, 70um, or 90um, etc.

[0068] As mentioned earlier, due to the characteristics of its material, the surface of a solid electrolyte cell is generally non-smooth. That is, in some embodiments, the surface roughness of the solid electrolyte cell is mainly affected by its material composition. In other embodiments, the surface of the solid electrolyte cell (such as the electrode contact surface) may also have microstructures, in which case the surface roughness is mainly determined by the size of the microstructures. For example... Figure 3 As shown, a first microstructure 2211 is provided on the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit 221. The first microstructure 2211 includes, but is not limited to, pyramid array, trench array or mesh structure.

[0069] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 4 The pressure sensor 300 includes a housing and a solid electrolyte assembly. The housing may further include a first substrate 311, a second substrate 312, and a support 313. Figure 3 The first substrate 311, the second substrate 312, and the support 313 can be connected with Figure 2 The first substrate 211, the second substrate 212, and the support 213 are similar and will not be described again here. The solid electrolyte assembly of the pressure sensor 300 further includes a first electrode 322, a solid electrolyte unit 321, and a second electrode 323, as shown below. Figure 4 As shown, the first substrate 311, the first electrode 322, the solid electrolyte unit 321, the second electrode 323, and the second substrate 312 can be arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The first electrode 322 and the second electrode 323 are both flexible electrodes. The first electrode 322 is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the second electrode 323 is configured to be disposed opposite to the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, thereby forming electrode contact surfaces on the first surface and the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit, respectively.

[0070] Figure 4 The pressure sensor 300 shown is Figure 2 The main difference between the pressure sensor 200 and the pressure sensor 300 is that the second electrode 323 in the pressure sensor 300 is also a flexible electrode. For more information on flexible electrodes, please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 The relevant explanations will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, the first electrode 322 and the second electrode 323 can be flexible electrodes made of the same material or flexible electrodes made of different materials. The first electrode 322 and the second electrode 323 can have the same thickness or different thicknesses. In some embodiments, the first electrode 322 is more flexible than the second electrode 323, or the second electrode 323 is more flexible than the first electrode 322, or both have the same hardness.

[0071] The first and second surfaces of the solid electrolyte unit 321 can be two distinct (e.g., opposite) surfaces. In some embodiments, the first electrode 322 is disposed opposite to the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the first electrode 322, as a flexible electrode, does not contact the first surface. Specifically, the first electrode 322 can be fixed to the lower surface of the first substrate 311, and when no pressure is applied, the first electrode 322 does not contact the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the flexible first electrode 322 allows it to contact the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the contact area is positively correlated with the pressure. In other embodiments, the first electrode 322 is disposed opposite to the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the first electrode 322, as a flexible electrode, contacts the first surface. Specifically, when no external force is applied, the first electrode 322 is located on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, contacting the microstructures on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the first electrode 322 allows its contact area with the first surface to increase significantly, thereby significantly increasing the interface capacitance value and generating a measurement signal that changes with pressure.

[0072] The arrangement of the second electrode 323 can be similar to that of the first electrode 322, and will not be described again here. In some embodiments, the first electrode 322 is not in contact with the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the second electrode 323 is in contact with the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321. In other embodiments, the second electrode 323 is not in contact with the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321, and the first electrode 322 is in contact with the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321.

[0073] When both the first and second electrodes are flexible electrodes, both electrodes of the pressure sensor 400 deform under external pressure, resulting in a larger area change at the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit, effectively improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor. In some embodiments, the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit (such as at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit 321) is provided with microstructures. In still other embodiments, the surface of the flexible electrode in contact with the solid electrolyte unit is provided with microstructures to further improve the sensitivity of the sensor.

[0074] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 5 The pressure sensor 400 includes a housing and a solid electrolyte assembly. The housing may further include a first substrate 411, a second substrate 412, and a support 413. Figure 5 The first substrate 411, the second substrate 412, and the support 413 can be connected with Figure 2The first substrate 211, the second substrate 212, and the support 213 are similar and will not be described again here. The solid electrolyte assembly of the pressure sensor 400 further includes a first electrode 422, a solid electrolyte unit 421, and a second electrode 423, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the first substrate 411, the solid electrolyte unit 421, the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423, and the second substrate 412 can be arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 are both flexible electrodes. The first electrode 422 is configured to be disposed opposite to a first region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and the second electrode 423 is configured to be disposed opposite to a second region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421, thereby forming electrode contact surfaces on the first region and the second region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421, respectively.

[0075] Figure 5 The pressure sensor 400 shown is Figure 4 The main difference between the pressure sensor 300 shown is that the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 in the pressure sensor 400 are located on the same side of the solid electrolyte unit 421.

[0076] The first region and the second region can be different regions on the surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421, specifically the first surface. When the solid electrolyte unit 421 is in the shape of a sheet or a cuboid, the first region and the second region can be the left and right regions of a bottom surface (such as the upper or lower bottom surface) of the solid electrolyte unit.

[0077] Taking the bottom surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421 as an example, the first electrode 422 is disposed opposite to the first region of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and the first electrode 422 does not contact the first region of the first surface, but there is a gap between them. Similarly, the second electrode 423 is disposed opposite to the second region of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and the second electrode 423 does not contact the second region of the first surface, but there is a gap between them. Specifically, the solid electrolyte unit 421 can be fixedly connected (e.g., bonded) to the lower surface of the first substrate 411. When no pressure is applied, neither the first electrode 422 nor the second electrode 423 contacts the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit. When pressure is applied, the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421 contacts the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423, and the contact area is positively correlated with the pressure. In some other embodiments, the first electrode 422 is disposed opposite to the first region of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and the first electrode 422 contacts the first region of the first surface. Similarly, the second electrode 423 is disposed opposite to the second region of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and the second electrode 423 contacts the second region of the first surface. Specifically, when no external force is applied, the solid electrolyte unit 421 is located on the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423. The microstructures on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421 are in contact with the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423. The contact area is small. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 can significantly increase the contact area with the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421, and thus the interface capacitance value also increases significantly, generating a measurement signal that changes with pressure.

[0078] In some embodiments, the side of the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 away from the solid electrolyte unit 421 may be fixed to the upper surface of the second substrate 412. In other embodiments, the side of the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 away from the solid electrolyte unit 421 and the upper surface of the second substrate 412 may not be fixed.

[0079] Continue to refer to Figure 5 Let the capacitance value of the first contact capacitance between the first electrode 422 and the first region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421 be C1, and the capacitance value of the second contact capacitance between the second electrode 423 and the second region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421 be C2. The first contact capacitance and the second contact capacitance are connected in series. Therefore, the total capacitance value C between the first electrode 422 and the second electrode 423 can be calculated by formula (2): The capacitance C1 of the first contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the area S1 of the electrode contact surface between the first electrode 422 and the solid electrolyte unit 421, while the capacitance C2 of the second contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the area S2 of the electrode contact surface between the second electrode 423 and the solid electrolyte unit 421. When the pressure sensor is subjected to pressure, the capacitance C1 of the first contact capacitor and the capacitance C2 of the second contact capacitor both change, resulting in a change in the total capacitance C.

[0080] When both the first and second electrodes are flexible electrodes, both electrodes of the pressure sensor 400 deform under external pressure, resulting in a larger area change on the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit. This effectively improves the sensitivity of the pressure sensor, and placing the two electrodes on the same side of the solid electrolyte unit facilitates wiring. In some embodiments, the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit (such as the first and second regions of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 421) is provided with microstructures. In still other embodiments, the surface of the flexible electrode in contact with the solid electrolyte unit is provided with microstructures to further improve the sensitivity of the sensor.

[0081] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 6 The pressure sensor 500 includes a housing and a solid electrolyte assembly. The housing may further include a first substrate 511, a second substrate 512, and a support 513. Figure 6 The first substrate 511, the second substrate 512, and the support 513 can be connected with Figure 2 The first substrate 211, the second substrate 212, and the support 213 are similar and will not be described again here. The solid electrolyte assembly of the pressure sensor 500 further includes a first electrode 522, a first solid electrolyte unit 521-1, a second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, a second electrode 523, and a third electrode 524, as follows. Figure 5As shown, the first substrate 511, the third electrode 524, the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, the first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523, and the second substrate 512 can be arranged sequentially from top to bottom, wherein the third electrode 524 is a flexible electrode. The solid electrolyte unit further includes the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2. The third electrode 524 is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, so that electrode contact surfaces are formed on the first surfaces of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the first surfaces of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, respectively. The contact area between the electrode contact surface and the third electrode 524 changes with pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with pressure. The first electrode 522 is electrically connected to the second surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1; the second electrode 523 is electrically connected to the second surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2.

[0082] In some embodiments, the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 may be disposed opposite to a first region on the first surface of the third electrode 524, and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2 may be disposed opposite to a second region on the first surface of the third electrode 524. The first region and the second region may be different regions on the surface of the third electrode. When the third electrode 524 is in the shape of a sheet or a cuboid, the first region and the second region may be the left and right regions of the bottom surface of the third electrode.

[0083] In some embodiments, the third electrode 524 is disposed opposite to the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1, and a first region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 does not contact the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1. Similarly, the third electrode 524 is disposed opposite to the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, and a second region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 does not contact the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2. For example, the third electrode 524 can be fixedly connected (e.g., bonded) to the lower surface of the first substrate 511 via its second surface. When no pressure is applied, the third electrode 524 does not contact the first surface of either solid electrolyte unit. When pressure is applied, the first region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 contacts the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1, and the contact area is positively correlated with the pressure; the second region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 contacts the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, and the contact area is positively correlated with the pressure. In other embodiments, the third electrode 524 is disposed opposite to the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1, and a first region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 is in contact with the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1. Similarly, the third electrode 524 is disposed opposite to the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, and a second region of the first surface of the third electrode 524 is in contact with the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2. Specifically, when no external force is applied, the third electrode 524 is located on the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2. The first and second regions of the first surface of the flexible third electrode 524 are in contact with the microstructures on the first surfaces of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2, respectively. The contact area is small. When pressure is applied, the deformation of the third electrode 524 can significantly increase its contact area with the first surface of each solid electrolyte unit, thereby significantly increasing the interfacial capacitance value and generating a measurement signal that changes with pressure.

[0084] In some embodiments, the side of the first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523 away from the solid electrolyte cell can be fixed to the upper surface of the second substrate 512. In other embodiments, the side of the first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523 away from the solid electrolyte cell may not be fixed to the upper surface of the second substrate 512.

[0085] In some embodiments, the third electrode 524 is configured to receive an excitation signal. In this case, the third electrode 524 is used only as a component sensitive to external pressure in the solid electrolyte assembly, but does not extract a measurement signal. The first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523 may be configured only to extract a measurement signal, or the first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523 may also be configured to receive an excitation signal and extract a measurement signal.

[0086] Continue to refer to Figure 6 Let the capacitance of the first contact capacitor between the first electrode 522 and the second surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 be C1, the capacitance of the second contact capacitor between the second electrode 523 and the second surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2 be C2, and the capacitance of the third contact capacitor between the third electrode 524 and the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 be C1. 31 The capacitance value of the fourth contact capacitor between the third electrode 524 and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2 is C. 32 The first contact capacitor to the fourth contact capacitor are connected in series. Therefore, the total capacitance C between the first electrode 522 and the second electrode 523 can be calculated by formula (3): The capacitance C1 of the first contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the contact area S1 between the first electrode 522 and the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1; the capacitance C2 of the second contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the contact area S2 between the second electrode 523 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2; and the capacitance C of the third contact capacitor is approximately proportional to the contact area S2 between the second electrode 523 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2. 31 Approximately proportional to the contact area S between the third electrode 524 and the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 31 The capacitance value C of the fourth contact capacitor 32 Approximately proportional to the contact area S between the third electrode 524 and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2 32 Since the contact areas S1 and S2 remain constant, the total capacitance C is mainly determined by the area of ​​the electrode contact surface S31 and the area of ​​the electrode contact surface S... 32 It is determined that when the pressure sensor is subjected to pressure, the capacitance value C of the third contact capacitor will... 31 The capacitance value C of the fourth contact capacitor 32 All of these change, resulting in a change in the total capacitance C.

[0087] Under external pressure, the electrode contact surfaces on the first surfaces of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2 in the pressure sensor 500 undergo area changes, effectively improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor. Furthermore, placing the first and second electrodes on the same side of the solid electrolyte unit facilitates wiring. In some embodiments, the electrode contact surfaces of the solid electrolyte units (such as the first surfaces of the first solid electrolyte unit 521-1 and the second solid electrolyte unit 521-2) are provided with microstructures. In still other embodiments, the surface of the flexible third electrode in contact with the solid electrolyte unit is provided with microstructures to further improve the sensor's sensitivity.

[0088] Figure 7 This is a structural schematic diagram of a pressure sensor shown in some embodiments of this specification. Figure 2 Compared to the pressure sensor 200 shown, Figure 7 The main difference in the pressure sensor 600 shown lies in the construction of the solid electrolyte unit. The first substrate 611, second substrate 612, support 613, first electrode 622, and second electrode 623 in the pressure sensor 600 are... Figure 2 The corresponding structure in the pressure sensor 200 shown is similar, and will not be described in detail here.

[0089] like Figure 7 As shown, the solid electrolyte unit 625 is a composite structure, which includes an insulating substrate containing solid electrolyte particles.

[0090] In some practical applications, solid electrolytes exhibit a brittle, ceramic-like texture, making the solid electrolyte unit prone to breakage during processing or use. Therefore, some embodiments of this specification utilize solid electrolyte powder and an insulating substrate to fabricate solid electrolyte units, which helps reduce production costs, improve the mechanical strength of the solid electrolyte unit, reduce loss rates, and enhance reliability. In some embodiments, the insulating substrate material can be silicone, PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), PI (Polyimide), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate or polyester resin), etc. For example, the solid electrolyte material can be ground into powder of a certain particle size, the insulating substrate material can be heated to a molten or liquid state, and then the solid electrolyte powder can be incorporated into it. The molten or liquid insulating substrate material incorporating the solid electrolyte powder or particles can be shaped and solidified using a mold to ultimately obtain an insulating substrate containing solid electrolyte particles.

[0091] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the solid electrolyte unit shown in some embodiments of this specification. At least one side of at least a portion of the solid electrolyte particles 6251 extends beyond the surface of the insulating substrate 6252. Assume the particle size or average particle size of the solid electrolyte particles 6251 is T, and the thickness of the insulating substrate 6252 is t. In some embodiments, t < 0.5 mm, or t < 0.3 mm, or t < 0.2 mm. By controlling the degree of grinding of the solid electrolyte material, T ≥ t can be made, thereby allowing at least a portion of the solid electrolyte particles to extend beyond the insulating substrate on at least one side, forming an uneven structure on its surface. The raised structure formed by the solid electrolyte particles on the surface of the insulating substrate can contact a flexible electrode (such as the first electrode 622) to form an interface, thereby obtaining good sensitivity.

[0092] In other embodiments, the particle size or static particle size T of the solid electrolyte particles 6251 may also be smaller than the thickness t of the insulating substrate 6252. Figure 9 These are schematic diagrams of the solid electrolyte unit shown in other embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 9 As shown, most of the solid electrolyte particles 6251 are dispersed inside the insulating substrate 6252. This can significantly increase the dielectric constant of the solid electrolyte unit 625. To ensure that the solid electrolyte unit 625 has good sensitivity, T can be greater than t / 10, or the mass ratio of the solid electrolyte powder to the insulating substrate can be greater than 1 / 10. Specifically, T can be further increased to t / 9, t / 8, t / 5, t / 3, or t / 2, etc., or the mass ratio of the solid electrolyte powder to the insulating substrate can be greater than 1 / 8, 1 / 6, 1 / 5, 1 / 3, or 1 / 2, etc.

[0093] It should be noted that, Figure 7 , Figure 8 or Figure 9 The solid electrolyte unit 625 with the composite structure shown can also be applied to other embodiments described in this specification. For example, it can be... Figure 5 The solid electrolyte unit 421 in the pressure sensor 400 shown can be replaced with a solid electrolyte unit 625, or alternatively, the solid electrolyte unit 421 in the pressure sensor 400 can be replaced with a solid electrolyte unit 625. Figure 6 The solid electrolyte unit 521 in the pressure sensor 500 shown is replaced with a solid electrolyte unit 625, and such modifications should be considered as described in this specification.

[0094] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the solid electrolyte unit shown in some embodiments of this specification. Figure 10The solid electrolyte unit 721 shown has a through crack 7211, which can vary with external pressure. Specifically, the width of the through crack can vary with external pressure. The through crack can divide the solid electrolyte unit into two or more sub-units that are not connected to each other. The width of the through crack can be the distance between two adjacent sub-units, or the distance between two opposing surfaces of two adjacent sub-units, or a statistical value of the distance values ​​at different positions on the two surfaces. Exemplary statistical values ​​may include, but are not limited to, maximum, minimum, or average values. In some embodiments, under the action of no external pressure, the width of the through crack on the solid electrolyte unit is less than 10 μm, or less than 8 μm, or less than 6.5 μm, or less than 5 μm, or less than 3 μm, or less than 1 μm. Exemplarily, the width of the through crack can be 1.5 μm, 1.2 μm, 0.8 μm, 0.6 μm, or 0.3 μm, etc. Because of the presence of the crack, when the solid electrolyte unit comes into contact with a charged electrode, ions inside the solid electrolyte can move but cannot pass through the crack, thereby forming a large interfacial capacitance at the crack interface. Simultaneously, when external pressure is applied to the solid electrolyte unit, it can cause a change in the width of the through-crack, thereby causing a change in the interfacial capacitance at the crack, achieving the purpose of pressure measurement. In some embodiments, the change in the width of the through-crack caused by external pressure can increase or decrease, which is related to the location of the through-crack on the solid electrolyte unit. As an example, Figure 7 The through-slit 7211 shown is perpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces of the solid electrolyte unit 721. Alternatively, the through-slit can be parallel to the upper and lower surfaces of the solid electrolyte unit (in which case the solid electrolyte unit can be considered a multi-layer structure). The sensitivity of the pressure sensor can be optimized by adjusting the position of the through-slit. In other embodiments, there can be two or more through-slits on the solid electrolyte unit; the sensitivity can also be optimized by adjusting the number of through-slits.

[0095] Figure 10 The solid electrolyte unit 721 shown can be applied to other embodiments described in this specification, for example, it can be used in... Figure 2 One or more through-cracks are further fabricated on the solid electrolyte unit 221 in the pressure sensor 200 shown, or, for example, one or more through-cracks can be made on the solid electrolyte unit 221. Figure 5 The solid electrolyte unit 421 in the pressure sensor 400 shown is replaced with a solid electrolyte unit 721, and such modifications should be considered as described in this specification. The presence of flexible electrodes and through-cracks simultaneously increases the interfacial capacitance within the solid electrolyte assembly. When external pressure is applied, this can cause greater changes in interfacial capacitance, thereby significantly improving the sensitivity of the pressure sensor.

[0096] In some embodiments, the interface capacitance inside the solid electrolyte assembly can also be provided solely through the through gaps in the solid electrolyte cells. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. For example... Figure 11 As shown, the pressure sensor 800 includes a housing and a solid electrolyte assembly. The housing further includes a protective sleeve 811 and a substrate 812. The protective sleeve 811 can be an elastic or flexible protective sleeve, and its material includes, but is not limited to, flexible materials such as plastic, resin, and silicone. The protective sleeve 811 can be a semi-enclosed structure, which includes an accommodating space for accommodating the solid electrolyte assembly. In some embodiments, the wall thickness of the protective sleeve 811 can affect the sensitivity of the pressure sensor and the protective support effect on the solid electrolyte assembly. Specifically, the wall thickness of the protective sleeve 811 can be less than 500 μm, or less than 450 μm, or less than 350 μm, or less than 200 μm, or less than 100 μm. For example, the wall thickness of the protective sleeve 811 can be 150 μm, 120 μm, 80 μm, 75 μm, 50 μm, etc. In some embodiments, the open end of the protective sleeve 811 can be fixedly connected to the substrate 812 to form a relatively enclosed solid electrolyte assembly accommodating space. When the solid electrolyte assembly is disposed in the accommodating space, the solid electrolyte assembly can be wrapped and protected by the protective layer to avoid interference from external moisture, dust, etc. In some embodiments, the sleeve wall end face at the open end of the protective sleeve 811 can be fixed to the upper surface of the substrate 812 by means of bonding, screw connection, snap-fit, riveting, etc. The material and structure of the substrate 812 can be similar to... Figure 2 The first substrate 211 or the second substrate 212 in the process will not be described in detail here.

[0097] like Figure 11 As shown, the solid electrolyte assembly of the pressure sensor 800 may further include a first electrode 822, a second electrode 823, and a solid electrolyte unit 821. The first electrode 822 and the second electrode 823 are configured to receive excitation signals and are electrically connected to the solid electrolyte unit 821, respectively. Further description of the first electrode 822 and the second electrode 823 can be found in the descriptions of the first and second electrodes in other embodiments of this specification, and will not be repeated here. The solid electrolyte unit 821 is configured to have a through-slit 8211 that varies with force, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with pressure. In some embodiments, external pressure (such as pressure caused by sound waves or vibration) can act on the protective sleeve 811 and / or the substrate 812, causing deformation. This deformation can be further transmitted to the solid electrolyte assembly, thereby causing a change in the measurement signal. Further description of the through-slit can be found in... Figure 7 The relevant explanations will not be repeated here.

[0098] Continue with Figure 11 As an example, the first electrode 822 can be electrically connected to a first region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 821, and the second electrode 823 can be electrically connected to a second region of the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 821. When the first electrode 822 and the second electrode 823 are energized, due to the presence of the crack, ions inside the solid electrolyte unit 821 can move but cannot pass through the through crack 8211, thus forming a large interfacial capacitance at the interface of the through crack 8211. When external pressure is applied to the solid electrolyte unit 821 through the shell, it can cause a change in the width of the through crack 8211, thereby causing a change in the interfacial capacitance at the crack, achieving the purpose of measuring pressure.

[0099] In some embodiments, the vertical projection of the through crack 8211 onto the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 821 is located between the first region and the second region of the first surface. The first electrode and the second electrode are respectively disposed on both sides of the through crack of the solid electrolyte unit, avoiding the same electrode bridging both sides of the through crack, which helps to reduce interference when acquiring measurement signals and improve measurement accuracy.

[0100] In some embodiments, when the angle between the through-cut 8211 and the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit 821 is greater than 0° and less than 180°, the solid electrolyte unit 821 is easier to manufacture and enables the pressure sensor to have better sensitivity. Specifically, the angle θ is 60°, 75°, 80°, 85°, 90°, 93°, 100°, or 110°, etc. In some embodiments, the angle between the through-cut and the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit can refer to the angle between the plane corresponding to the through-cut and the first surface, such as... Figure 11 The included angle θ, where the plane corresponding to the penetrating crack can be any surface of the two opposing surfaces on the two sub-units divided by the penetrating crack, or the plane corresponding to the penetrating crack can be the angle bisector or approximate angle bisector of the two opposing surfaces on the two sub-units divided by the penetrating crack (e.g., ...). Figure 11 (As shown by the dashed line). The angle bisector of two planes can be understood as the plane that bisects the included angle (or dihedral angle) of two (non-parallel) planes, intersecting both planes and forming an equal angle with each of the two planes.

[0101] In some embodiments, any one or more solid electrolyte components described above can be arranged in an array to obtain a pressure-sensitive array, which can detect both the magnitude and location of pressure. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the pressure sensor structure shown in some embodiments of this specification. Figure 12The pressure sensor 900 shown includes a housing and two or more solid electrolyte components, such as solid electrolyte component 920-1, solid electrolyte component 920-2, etc. The housing includes a first substrate 911, a second substrate 912, and one or more supports 913. Further descriptions of the first substrate 911, the second substrate 912, and the supports 913 can be found in the relevant descriptions in the preceding embodiments, and will not be repeated here. One or more supports 913 may be disposed between the first substrate 911 and the second substrate 912, dividing the space between the two substrates into one or more accommodating regions, each of which contains a solid electrolyte component.

[0102] The solid electrolyte components shown in some embodiments of this specification were tested experimentally. Figure 4 Taking the solid electrolyte assembly shown as an example, it includes a first electrode 322, a solid electrolyte unit 321, and a second electrode 323 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. During the experiment, the first electrode 322 and the second electrode 323 were simultaneously connected to an excitation electrical signal and a measurement electrical signal was extracted. Under the pressure of a finger gripping the assembly, the capacitance value of the solid electrolyte assembly changed from <1pF to over 200pF, a change rate exceeding 200 times. This demonstrates that the sensitivity of the pressure sensor provided in this specification far surpasses that of traditional capacitive pressure sensors. During the experiment, it was also found that the equivalent resistance of the solid electrolyte assembly is low. This is beneficial for reducing impedance matching problems in subsequent circuits (such as transmission lines and measurement signal readout circuits), reducing transmission loss of the measurement signal, and increasing the anti-interference capability of the pressure sensor. It is worth noting that the electrode surfaces used in the experiment were flat and smooth, without any surface microstructure treatment. The high sensitivity verified in the experiment is mainly contributed by the surface unevenness of the solid electrolyte unit itself. It can be imagined that the sensitivity can be further improved after micro-processing the electrode surface.

[0103] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this specification. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this specification and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0104] Furthermore, this specification uses specific terms to describe embodiments thereof. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" in different locations throughout this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Moreover, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this specification can be appropriately combined.

[0105] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description disclosed herein and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of embodiments in this specification may sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this method of disclosure does not imply that the subject matter of this specification requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of a single embodiment disclosed above.

[0106] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments described herein. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this specification. Therefore, alternative configurations of the embodiments described herein are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and should be considered consistent with the teachings of this specification. Accordingly, the embodiments described herein are not limited to those explicitly introduced and described herein.

Claims

1. A pressure sensor, characterized in that, Includes the casing and solid electrolyte assembly; The solid electrolyte assembly is located within the housing and is configured to generate a pressure-related measurement signal in response to pressure acting on the housing.

2. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit; The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have an electrode contact surface, and the contact area between the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit and the first electrode and / or the second electrode changes with the pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with the pressure.

3. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first electrode is a flexible electrode, and the first electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit; The second electrode is electrically connected to the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit.

4. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first electrode and the second electrode are flexible electrodes; The first electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to the second surface of the solid electrolyte unit, thereby forming the electrode contact surface on the first surface and the second surface respectively.

5. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, characterized in that, Both the first electrode and the second electrode are flexible electrodes; The first electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to a first region of a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to a second region of a first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, so that electrode contact surfaces are formed in the first region and the second region of the first surface, respectively.

6. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit, wherein the third electrode is a flexible electrode; The solid electrolyte unit includes a first solid electrolyte unit and a second solid electrolyte unit; The third electrode is configured to be disposed opposite to the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit, so that electrode contact surfaces are formed on the first surface of the first solid electrolyte unit and the first surface of the second solid electrolyte unit, respectively; the contact area between the electrode contact surface and the third electrode changes with the pressure, thereby causing the measurement signal to change with the pressure; The first electrode is electrically connected to the second surface of the first solid electrolyte unit; The second electrode is electrically connected to the second surface of the second solid electrolyte unit.

7. The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, The hardness of the flexible electrode is less than 60°A.

8. The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, Microstructures are provided on the surface of the flexible electrode that is in contact with the solid electrolyte unit.

9. The pressure sensor according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that, The thickness of the flexible electrode is 1µm to 500µm.

10. The pressure sensor according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The surface roughness of the electrode contact surface of the solid electrolyte unit is 0.1 μm to 200 μm.

11. The pressure sensor according to claim 10, characterized in that, Microstructures are provided on the electrode contact surface.

12. The pressure sensor according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The solid electrolyte unit includes an insulating substrate containing solid electrolyte particles.

13. The pressure sensor according to claim 12, characterized in that, At least one side of at least a portion of the solid electrolyte particles extends beyond the surface of the insulating substrate.

14. The pressure sensor according to claim 12, characterized in that, At least some of the solid electrolyte particles have a particle size greater than 1 / 10 of the thickness of the insulating substrate, or the mass ratio of the solid electrolyte particles to the insulating substrate is greater than 1 / 10.

15. The pressure sensor according to claim 2 or 6, characterized in that, The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have through cracks.

16. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solid electrolyte assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a solid electrolyte unit; The first electrode and the second electrode are respectively electrically connected to the solid electrolyte unit; The solid electrolyte unit is configured to have a through-crack, and the measurement signal varies with the pressure.

17. The pressure sensor according to claim 16, characterized in that, The width of the through crack is less than 10 μm.

18. The pressure sensor according to claim 16, characterized in that, The first electrode is electrically connected to a first region on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit, and the second electrode is electrically connected to a second region on the first surface of the solid electrolyte unit; The angle between the through crack and the first surface is greater than 0° and less than 180°.

19. The pressure sensor according to claim 18, characterized in that, The vertical projection of the through crack onto the first surface lies between the first region and the second region.

20. The pressure sensor according to claim 2, 6, or 16, characterized in that, The conductivity of the solid electrolyte unit is greater than 10. -6 S / cm.

21. The pressure sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and one or more supports; The one or more supports are disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the space between the first substrate and the second substrate is divided into one or more accommodating areas; The solid electrolyte component is disposed in one or more of the accommodating regions.

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