Abstract

Flexible and wearable humidity sensors play a vital role in daily point-of-care diagnosis and noncontact human-machine interactions. However, achieving a facile and high-speed fabrication approach to realizing flexible humidity sensors remains a challenge. In this work, a wearable capacitive-type Ga₂O₃/liquid metal-based humidity sensor is demonstrated by a one-step laser direct writing technique.

Owing to the photothermal effect of laser, the Ga₂O₃-wrapped liquid metal particles can be selectively sintered and converted from insulative to conductive traces with a resistivity of 0.19 Ω·cm, while the untreated regions serve as active sensing layers in response to moisture changes. Under 95% relative humidity, the humidity sensor displays a highly stable performance along with rapid response and recover time.

Utilizing these superior properties, the Ga₂O₃/liquid metal-based humidity sensor is able to monitor human respiration rate, as well as skin moisture of the palm under different physiological states for healthcare monitoring.