International Workshop On Flexible Bio - and Organic Printed Electronics, 1-3 May 2014 Konya/Turkey

Ink-jet printed flexible sensors: from materials to
applications
Dr Goran Stojanović, associate professor
https://www.stojanovicgoran.com/ email: sgoran@uns.ac.rs
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2098-189X
International Workshop on Flexible Bio- and Organic Printed Electronics, 1-3 May 2014 Konya/Turkey
1. A few words about the institution
University of Novi Sad (UNS), Novi Sad, Serbia
Comprehensive university, 14 faculties created as a
departmental, research intensive and campus-oriented
~ 46.000 - number of students at first level

~ 4.000 - number of students at level II and III level of study
~ 5.000 - number of employees (3.017 professors, assistants
and researchers)
 CIMC - established 2004. with the idea to gather researchers
from the UNS/Faculty of Technical Sciences in the field of
electronics and multidisciplinary fields.
 5 FP7 projects, 2 EUREKA projects, 3 COST projects, 1
TEMPUS project.
 Well-established and developed cooperation with industry.
 Around 30 published papers, per year, in leading peer-
reviewed journals with impact factors.
 Staff: 12 professors, 15 young researchers or PhD students
and 4 technicians.
 Plans – to be the Center of excellence in organic electronics
and leader in this field in SEE region.
The most important international projects:
1. FP7-PEOPLE-2011-ITN: “Low-cost and energy-efficient LTCC
sensor/IR-UWB transceiver solutions for sustainable healthy
environment” (SENSEIVER - no. 289481, coordinator: prof. Goran
Stojanović), 2011-2015.  3.08 MEUR
2. FP7-ICT-318362: “Enhanced Multicarrier Techniques for Professional Ad-
Hoc and Cell-Based Communications” (EMPhAtiC - no. 318362, UNS
team leader: Slobodan Nedić), 2012-2015.  4.13 MEUR
3. FP7, REGPOT project: “Reinforcement of Research Potentials of the

Faculty of Technical Sciences in the Field of Post Silicon Electronics”
(APOSTILLE - no. 256615, coordinator: prof. Goran Stojanović), 2010-
2013.  1.05 MEUR
4. FP7, ICT-2009.6.3.b, project: “Smart Control of Demand for Consumption
and Supply to Enable Balanced, Energy-Positive Buildings and
Neighborhoods” (SmartCoDe - no. 247473, UNS team leader: prof.
Veljko Malbaša), 2010-2013.
International projects:
5. FP7, IRSES project: “Multiband Electronically Reconfigurable Microwave
Devices and Antennas for a New Generation of Wireless Systems”
(MultiWaveS, coordinator: prof. Vesna Crnojević-Bengin), 2010-2013.
6. TEMPUS: “Modernization of WBC universities through strengthening of

structures and services for knowledge transfer, research and
innovation” (WBCInno, UNS team leader: prof. Goran Stojanović),
2012-2015.
7. EUREKA project: “New Generation of 3D Integrated Passive

Components and Microsystems in LTCC Technology ” (IPCTECH – no.
E!4570, coordinator: prof. Goran Stojanović), 2009 – 2011.
8. EUREKA project: “Miniature Metamaterial-Based Sensing Devices for

Agricultural, Environmental and Geological Applications”
(METASENSE – no. E!5014, coordinator: prof. Vesna Crnojević
Bengin), 2009 – 2011.
Cooperation with industrial sector:
- Littelfuse Ireland Limited, Ireland
- Test Laboratories International Inc., USA
- ELSYS Design, Paris, France
- STMicroelectronics, Pavia, Italy
- Hotwell, Klingenbach, Austria
- Fotec, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
- HDL Design House, Belgrade, Serbia
- ICM Electronics, Novi Sad, Serbia
- IRITEL, Belgrade, Serbia
- NIS – Naftagas, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Panakva, Novi Sad, Serbia
2. Fabrication facilities and other
specific pieces of existing equipment
Equipment – fabrication facilities – flexible substrate
(DMP-3000, Dimatix):
Inks: conductive, semi conductive,

dielectrics; PEDOT: PSS, SunJet Silver
Substrate: papers, PET foils, glass slides,
rogers 4003, FR-4
Some other pieces of equipment:
• LPKF Protomat S62 for PCB rapid prototyping
• N5230A Agilent PNA-L Network Analyzer, 10MHz-50GHz
• E5071B Agilent Vector Network Analyzer, 300 kHz-8.5 GHz
• 4191A RF Impedance Analyzer, 1 MHz-1GHz
• 4194A Impedance/Gain Phase Analyzer, 100Hz-40MHz
• RF/Microwave Wafer Probe Station, SUSS PM5
• Hall Effect Measurement System HMS-3000
• HP 4277 A LCZ Meter to 1 MHz
3. The main research directions
• The main research directions:
– Integrated micro/nano passive components
Research activities
(inductors, transformers, thermistors)
– EMI suppressors
– Sensors
– Characterization of various electronic

materials and components
– Flexible/Printed/Organic electronics
4. Ink-jet printed flexible sensors
Capacitive Angular Sensor with Flexible Digitated Electrodes
19.63 mm 24.54 mm 14.73 mm
24 mm
19.32 mm 19.32 mm
14 mm
154.57 mm
Design of the capacitor’s electrodes in one plane for the stator (top) and the rotor (bottom)
flexible substrate conductive plates
ds
stator α da
ds
rotor Lmax
a) b)
Cross-sectional view of the capacitor and its approximation as a plane capacitor
O u ter: stato r ele ctro d e

In n er: ro to r electro d e
S tato r
d isc
R o to r
d isc
R o tatin g sh aft
In-house developed platform for capacitive sensor testing
L C Z m e te r Experimental setup for

the capacitance measurements
S en so r p ro to typ e
Measured capacitance for the

sensor prototype with one full
turn measurement range
Two Channel Incremental Capacitive Encoder Based on
Flexible/Printed Technology
Layout of the silver printed

electrodes printed on flexible foil.
Figure a) shows two pairs (for two
channels) of stator electrodes
(matching pairs are placed
horizontally). Figure b) shows rotor
electrodes for two channels.
Picture of the stator and rotor

silver ink-jet printed electrodes
on flexible foil (Kapton film).
Picture of the dismantled sensor.

The rotor with shaft and attached
rotor electrode is shown on the left
hand side. The right hand side
shows the stator with back lid and
attached stator electrode.
Picture of the assembled

sensor. The stators electric
contacts are taken out and the
thin conductive wires are glued
to the contacts using
conductive epoxy paste.
Experimental setup. It consists of:

motor, sensor and electronics.
Signal conditioning circuit. The

signal passes through charge
amplifier, sample and hold
circuit, buffer, differential
amplifier and comparator,
providing the square wave
output.
5. Ink-jet printed passive components
Simulations and modeling
Finite element software models
Spiral capacitors Spiral inductors
- Inductance calculation by
integrating vector
potential-
PROVOD software
Flexible inductors on foil
L = 202 nH (simulation) L = 514 nH (simulation)

L = 190 nH (measurement) L = 490 nH (measurement)
Capacitors on flexible substrate
Influence of dielectric constant on capacitance (simulation

results)
εr C [pF]
3 79.92883
80 226.6462
Capacitor fabrication
Capacitors on flexible substrate
Measured capacitance
 as a function of
frequency
 as a function of εr C [pF]
dielectric constant 3 79.5573
80 217.196
Inductive sensor of angular displacement
- Sensing principles-
Two rolled inductors in 0o and 30o angle

position
Measured Impedance (real part)

response to mutual inductance changes
Sensing circuit
Resonant circuit sensor
-Sensing principles-
Ink-jet printed LC structure
Measured Impedance (real part)

response to changes in water and air
environment
Measurement setup
Sensing circuit
-Optimization of devices-
- increasing number of electrodes - higher inductance and capacitance

- decreased width of segments
- smaller inner rolling diameter
 - lower resonant frequency
- higher selectivity
Ink-jet printed memristors
Fabrication steps:
(1) Substrate plasma cleaning

(2) Printing bottom (Ag)
electrode
TiO2 printed devices (3) Soft bake
(4) Sintering
(5) Printing active (TIO2) layer
(1,2,3 or 4 layers)
(6) Soft bake
(7) Sintering (variable
conditions)
(8) Printing top (Ag) electrode
(9) Soft bake
(10) Sintering
Local phase change in TiO2 layer
I-V measurements
-AC measurements-
Measuring setup Sample under probes
Schematic of used
electronic circuit
Ink-jet printed memristors
-Results-
Current-voltage characteristics of ink-jet Unipolar switching of the device.

printed ITO/TiO2/Ag memristor, pinched Current-voltage response on sequent
hysteresis. increase of voltage amplitude.
6. Force sensing resistor
Force sensing resistor
Fabrication of 4 different types of sensors:
Silver electrodes of
sensors printed with
Dimatix DMP3000
- 2 layers of silver
Few carbon layers printed with RK Control printing
proofer and complete sensors after mounting both
(silver and carbon) parts using two component
epoxy glue
Measurements
In-house developed measurement setup
Results:
 Resistance as a function of force for four types
of FSRs
Resistance as a function of temperature
characteristics for all four types of FSRs
7. Active shelf - a counter of number
of products on the shelf
ACTIVE SHELF
– Concept –
• Solution for OOS problem

• Prototype realisation
• Based on IDC technology
• In-house software tool
• Flexible printing
• Silver ink
• Out-of-shelf problem :
• the problem of products
missing from the shelf
• describes situation where a
customer does not find the
product (or sufficient number
of that product) one wishes
to buy on the shelf of a
supermarket
• leads to lost sales and
decreases consumer loyalty
• The main idea is based on the
changing capacitance of
interdigitated capacitor (IDC) which
one set of electrodes (fingers) is
placed on the test platform,
whereas the second electrode is
posted on the box (or product in the
store).
• When we put the box on the test
platform (or shelf), the increase in
the capacitance is obtained and
vice versa.
• We have also developed in-house
software tool for computing
capacitance of IDCs
– Design –
Design of IDCs
• Dimensions of the designed IDCs in mm
– Design –
Electronic part of the system
• Consists of three main

blocks:
1. generates appropriate
charge/discharge interval
using a relaxation
oscillator with Schmitt
inverter
2. produces PWM signal at
the output of the second
Schmitt inverter with
average voltage value
proportional to unknown
IDC structure capacitance
3. passive first order low-
pass filter was applied
prior to connecting to the
microcontroller analog-
digital converter (ADC)
port Developed capacitance measurement system
schematics
– Manufacturing –
Manufacturing of IDCs
• IDCs are:
• printed with
Dimatix® DMP
3000 ink-jet printer
(drop space = 18
um)
• on polyimide
flexible substrate
• with silver ink with
20 % of silver
nanoparticles
– Manufacturing –
Test platform
• Test platform:
• is made from
Plexiglas, dimension
are 45 cm  20 cm 
10 cm, with 6
interdigitated
capacitors
• boxes for the
products are made
from cardboard,
dimensions are
5 cm x 5.5 cm
– Measurement –
• Frequency
dependence of
capacitance:
• is measured with an
instrument HP4194A
• self-resonant
frequency is far above
40 MHz
• very good agreement
is achieved between
measured and
analytical values for
capacitance of IDC
structure
– Measurement –
• Microcontroller ADC
measured values vs.
IDC structure
capacitances:
• values measured at
Atmel AVR ADC for
different IDC
capacitance values,
along with its linear fit
and adjusted
coefficient of
determination value of
0.99994
8. Ink-jet printing other materials
Printing SnO2 – Results – Ink-jet printing
Dots with drop spacing 100 micron Dots with drop spacing 100 um after 10 min.
Dots with drop spacing 25 micron Dots with drop spacing 25 um after 10 min.
Printing SnO2 IDC electrodes – Ink-jet printing
IDC Circuit
Before sintering After sintering
Ink-jet printing MWCNT
• Composition: ~50% glycerol,
~30% alcohol (ethanol in first
version and propanol in second),
~20% water solution of multi
wall carbon nano tubes (the
mass fraction ~0.1‰))
• σ = 34 mN/m, η = 9.262 mPas,
ρ = 1050 kg/m3, Z= (σ ρ D)1/2/ η
≈ 2.96. According to the
literature ink is printable if 1 < Z
< 10
Structures printed with MWCNT

(with ethanol): a) sharp angled
lines, b) lines in shape of cross, c)
dots, d) two parallel lines, e) lines, f)
square.
Ink-jet printing MWCNT
Structures printed with MWCNT (with propanol): a) line, b) square and line, c)
squares, d) dots
Ink-jet printing PEDOT: PSS
Poly (3, 4-Ethylenedioxythiophene) Doped with Polystyrensulfonic Acid (PEDOT: PSS)
Composition: 1-5% Ethanol, 5-10% Diethylene glycol, rest is water solution of PEDOT:PSS
with concentration of 0.8%
σ = unknown, η = (7 – 12) mPas, ρ = 985 kg/m3
Samples printed on Polyimide

substrates a) not treated and
b) treated with oxygen plasma
Samples printed on Polyester

substrates a) not treated and b)
treated with oxygen plasma
Selected publications, peer-reviewed journals
1. G. Stojanović, V. Mandić, M. Ćurčić, D. Vasiljević, M. Kisić, N. Radosavljević,

“Combining rapid prototyping techniques in mechanical engineering and electronics
for realization of a variable capacitor”, Rapid Prototyping Journal (IF: 1.023), vol.
20, no. 2, pp. 115-120, 2014.
2. D. Krklješ, D. Vasiljević, G. Stojanović, “A Capacitive Angular Sensor with Flexible
Digitated Electrodes”, Sensor Review (IF: 0.595), 2014.
3. A. Menićanin, Lj. Živanov, G. Stojanović, N. Samardžić, D. Randjelović, "Transport
Parameters of Inkjet Printed Nanoparticle Silver on Polyimide Substrate Measured
at Room and Liquid Nitrogen Temperatures", IEEE Transactions on Electron
Devices (IF: 2.062), vol. 60, no. 9, pp. 2963-2967, 2013.
4. N. Jeranče, N. Bednar, G. Stojanović, “An Ink-Jet Printed Eddy Current Position
Sensor”, Sensors (IF: 1.739), vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 5205-5219, 2013.
5. N. Bednar, J. Matović, G. Stojanović, “Properties of Surface Dielectric Barrier
Discharge Plasma Generator for Fabrication of Nanomaterials”, Journal of
Electrostatics (IF:1.000), vol. 71, no 6, pp. 1068-1075, 2013.
6. N. Bednar, G. Stojanović, “An Organic Electronics Laboratory Course for Graduate
Students in Electrical Engineering”, IEEE Transactions on Education (IF: 1.021),
2013.
Selected publications, peer-reviewed journals
7. N. Jeranče, G. Stojanović, N. Samardžić, D. Kesler, “Parallel computing applied to
inductance calculation for flexible inductors”, COMPEL (IF: 0.301), vol. 32, no. 3,
pp. 1067-1081, 2013.
8. N. Jeranče, D. Vasiljević, N. Samardžić, G. Stojanović, “Compact inductive position
sensor made by inkjet printing technology on flexible substrate”, Sensors (IF:
1.739), vol. 12, pp. 1288-1298, 2012.
9. V. Radonić, K. Palmer, G. Stojanović, V. Crnojević-Bengin, “Flexible Sierpinski
Carpet Fractal Antenna on a Hilbert Slot Patterned Ground”, International Journal
of Antennas and Propagation (IF: 0.468), vol. 2012, article no. 980916, pp. 1-7,
2012.
10. M. Maksimović, G. Stojanović, M Radovanović, M. Malešev, V. Radonjanin, G.
Radosavljević, W. Smetana, “Application of a LTCC sensor for measuring moisture
content of building materials”, Construction and Building Materials (IF: 1.834),
vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 327-333, 2012.
11. G. Stojanović, N. Lečić, M. Damnjanović, Lj. Živanov, “Electrical and temperature
characterization of NiZn ferrites”, International Journal of Applied
Electromagnetics and Mechanics (IF: 0.328), vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 165-176, 2011.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Goran Stojanović, PhD, associate professor
University of Novi Sad

Faculty of Technical Sciences
Trg Dositeja Obradovića 6
21000 Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
Email: sgoran@uns.ac.rs
tel: +381 21 485 4520

mob: +381 64 3905715
fax: +381 21 475 0572
Thank you very much for your attention!
My recent journal publications can be seen on the following link:
https://www.stojanovicgoran.com/published-journal-papers/

International Workshop On Flexible Bio - and Organic Printed Electronics, 1-3 May 2014 Konya/Turkey

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Ink-jet printed flexible sensors: from materials to

Dr Goran Stojanović, associate professor

https://www.stojanovicgoran.com/ email: sgoran@uns.ac.rs

~ 46.000 - number of students at first level

3. FP7, REGPOT project: “Reinforcement of Research Potentials of the

6. TEMPUS: “Modernization of WBC universities through strengthening of

7. EUREKA project: “New Generation of 3D Integrated Passive

8. EUREKA project: “Miniature Metamaterial-Based Sensing Devices for

Inks: conductive, semi conductive,

(inductors, transformers, thermistors)

– Characterization of various electronic

flexible substrate conductive plates

Cross-sectional view of the capacitor and its approximation as a plane capacitor

O u ter: stato r ele ctro d e

In-house developed platform for capacitive sensor testing

L C Z m e te r Experimental setup for

Measured capacitance for the

Layout of the silver printed

Picture of the stator and rotor

Picture of the dismantled sensor.

Picture of the assembled

Experimental setup. It consists of:

Signal conditioning circuit. The

Spiral capacitors Spiral inductors

L = 202 nH (simulation) L = 514 nH (simulation)

Influence of dielectric constant on capacitance (simulation

dielectric constant 3 79.5573

Two rolled inductors in 0o and 30o angle

Measured Impedance (real part)

Ink-jet printed LC structure

Measured Impedance (real part)

- increasing number of electrodes - higher inductance and capacitance

(1) Substrate plasma cleaning

Measuring setup Sample under probes

Current-voltage characteristics of ink-jet Unipolar switching of the device.

Fabrication of 4 different types of sensors:

• Solution for OOS problem

• Dimensions of the designed IDCs in mm

• Consists of three main

Before sintering After sintering

Structures printed with MWCNT

Samples printed on Polyimide

Samples printed on Polyester

1. G. Stojanović, V. Mandić, M. Ćurčić, D. Vasiljević, M. Kisić, N. Radosavljević,

University of Novi Sad

tel: +381 21 485 4520

My recent journal publications can be seen on the following link:

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