A Biaxial Strain Sensor Using a Single MoS(2) Grating

In this paper, we report a new type of MoS(2)-based grating sensor for in-plane biaxial strain gauges with a precision limit of ~ 1‰. The MoS(2) grating is numerically simulated with different biaxial strains up to 5%. Our first-principles calculations reveal that the strain sensitivity of the MoS(2) reflectance spectrum can be considered an additional strain sensor integrated with the grating structure, enabling the mapping of in-plane biaxial strains. Our experimental studies on a prototype MoS(2)-grating sensor further confirm that a strain component perpendicular to the grating period can cause intensity peak shifts in the grating’s first-order diffraction patterns. This work opens a new path towards the sensing of in-plane biaxial strain within a single-grating device. Our new approach is applicable for other materials that have predictable reflectance response under biaxial strains and the capacity to form a two-dimensional single-crystal layer. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s11671-021-03493-3.