Shapeable Magnetic Sensorics
There is a trend in electronics towards becoming shapeable (flexible, stretchable or printable), which allows electronic components to be arbitrarily reshaped after fabrication. This unique feature offers new unexplored functionalities for the markets of consumer electronics and eMobility. Shapeable electronics and optoelectronics have been developed already for a few years.
Very recently, we added a new member to this family - the shapeable magnetic sensorics, which pave the way towards the development of a unique class of devices with important functionality being not only shapeable and fast, but also with the ability to react and respond to a magnetic field. Shapeable magnetic sensor devices could enable the fabrication of, e.g. health monitoring systems, where large-angle folding of the micrometer-sized functional elements is a crucial prerequisite for a successful implementation.
In the ERC project SMaRT we aim to develop shapeable magnetoelectronics to the industry-ready product and integrate these magnetic field sensorics into flexible large area multifunctional devices consisting of flexible batteries, communication modules and different types of sensing elements, e.g. environmental, chemical, temperature.
Recent Highlights
| 09/2025 | Paper featured as back cover of ACS Nano |
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 | Our paper on the experimental validation of curvature-induced DMI in curvilinear films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is highlighted as back cover of ACS Nano. X-ray nanotomography of a curved thin film with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy deposited over nanowire networks reveals curvature-induced modifications in the magnetic configuration, illustrating the potential to use curvature as a new design parameter to tailor spin textures and energy landscapes at the nanoscale. This work is result of fruitful cooperation of the HZDR team with the group of Prof. Peter Fischer (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA), Prof. Kai Liu (Georgetown University, USA), and Dr. Andrea Sorrentino (Alba Light Source). D. Raftrey, D. Bhattacharya, C. Langton, B. Fugetta, S. Satapathy, O. Bezsmertna, A. Sorrentino, D. Makarov, G. Yin, P. Fischer, and K. LiuCurvature induced modifications of chirality and magnetic configuration in perpendicular films ACS Nano 19, 31609 (2025). URL PDF
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| 08/2025 | Paper featured as front cover of Advanced Sensor Research |
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 | Our paper on the realization of recyclable printable thermocouples is featured as front cover of Advanced Sensor Research. We developed recyclable printed thermocouples featuring eco-friendly design as well as low cost and scalable processing. Magnetic flakes and re-dissolvable polymers enable seamless and efficient magnet-assisted recycling, preserving performance for sustainable large-scale manufacturing. X. Wang, L. Guo, Q. Zhang, Y. Zabila, R. Xu, and D. MakarovPrinted recyclable and flexible thermocouple temperature sensors Adv. Sensor Res. 2400182 (2025). URL PDF
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| 05/2025 | FlexiSens awarded with HZDR Technology Prize |
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 | Dr. Rui Xu, Dr. Denys Makarov, Dr. Tetiana Voitsekhivska, and Lin Guo from the Institute of Ion Beam Physics and Materials Research were delighted to receive the HZDR Technology Award. The team at the Helmholtz Innovation Lab FlexiSens has developed an electrically conductive polymer for medical prostheses that allows touchscreens on cell phones and other mobile devices to be operated without any problems. This was not previously possible with conventional prostheses. The technology has been patented and successfully transferred into application. At various trade fairs, FlexiSens succeeded in convincing potential industrial partners of the benefits of the electrically conductive material. |
