High-resolution electroluminescent imaging of pressure distribution using a piezoelectric nanowire LED array

Emulation of the sensation of touch through high-resolution electronic means could become important in future generations of robotics and human–machine interfaces. Here, we demonstrate that a nanowire light-emitting diode-based pressure sensor array can map two-dimensional distributions of strain with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 2.7 mm, corresponding to a pixel density of 6,350 dpi. Each pixel is composed of a single n-ZnO nanowire/p-GaN light-emitting diode, the emission intensity of which depends on the local strain owing to the piezo-phototronic effect. A pressure map can be created by reading out, in parallel, the electroluminescent signal from all of the pixels with a time resolution of 90 ms. The device may represent a major step towards the digital imaging of mechanical signals by optical means, with potential applications in artificial skin, touchpad technology, personalized signatures, bio-imaging and optical microelectromechanical systems.