Piezotronic analog-to-digital converters based on strain-gated transistors

Highlights: • SGTs exhibit multiple functions in single piezotronic transistor, such as voltage converter, comparator, and amplifier. • Three piezotronic ADC architectures are studied based on piezotronic SGTs. • Piezotronic ADCs are important devices for fully functional piezotronic ICs. We report a novel approach to achieve piezotronic analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) based on strain gated transistors (SGTs). A single SGT can act as voltage converter, comparator, and amplifier. The new piezotronic ADC devices benefit from high sensitivity of the piezotronic SGT responding to the external strains. This design can significantly reduce the power consumption and the size of these devices, which are considered as crucial factors in self-powered systems. The fundamental concept of the device design has been demonstrated by three piezotronic ADC architectures formed by various networks comprised of SGTs and resistors. Analog-to-digital conversion and logic operations of these piezotronic ADCs blocks are analyzed and logic truth tables for all those configurations are presented. This design has immense potential for enormous applications in future human-machine interfaces, internet of things, and sensor networks.