A review of strain sensors based on two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide

Abstract

Atomic layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) is one of the most promising two-dimensional (2D) materials toward next-generation flexible/foldable electronics because of their outstanding mechanical strength and semiconductor essence. Owing to its extremely good properties, 2D MoS₂ and its composites are ranked one of the top candidates in miniaturized thin-film strain sensor applications. However, practical applications of 2D MoS₂-based strain sensors are still far from realization due to their poor scalable material synthesis and device fabrication techniques. Therefore, intensive studies have been implemented to advancing the mass production approaches and strain–response property optimization of MoS₂ and its derived devices. In this paper, we summarize recent literature and provide a brief review of strain sensors based on atomic layered MoS₂. This review covers a short introduction to the structure, properties, and synthesis methods of MoS₂. Emphasis is given to different categories of strain-sensing mechanisms and device architectures, which enable a high gauge factor (GF). The fabrication techniques of MoS₂-based strain sensors are also discussed in this paper to pave a way for practical integration in electronic systems.