Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations

While liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) show promise for diverse soft actuators due to their strong stimulus responsiveness, limited investigation into their light perception and processing restricts their wider use in intelligent systems. This study employs a hollow double-layer structure to design...

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Main Authors: Chuang Wang, Hao Wu, Quanwang Niu, Xiaohong Yan, Xiangfu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Sensors
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/7/2051
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author Chuang Wang
Hao Wu
Quanwang Niu
Xiaohong Yan
Xiangfu Wang
author_facet Chuang Wang
Hao Wu
Quanwang Niu
Xiaohong Yan
Xiangfu Wang
author_sort Chuang Wang
collection DOAJ
description While liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) show promise for diverse soft actuators due to their strong stimulus responsiveness, limited investigation into their light perception and processing restricts their wider use in intelligent systems. This study employs a hollow double-layer structure to design light-controlled logic soft switches based on LCEs. The design realizes digital logic circuits including AND gates, OR gates, and NOT gates, as well as an optical switch array capable of converting light signals into visualized digital signals. These light-controlled soft switches exhibit strong photothermal responsiveness (~12 s), high programmability, and excellent cyclic stability (>500 times). This research provides a new perspective on light-controlled logic soft switches and their applications in logic circuits.
format Article
id doaj-art-abd8d63743124efe965df5257e0d99d6
institution DOAJ
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-abd8d63743124efe965df5257e0d99d62025-08-20T03:08:59ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-03-01257205110.3390/s25072051Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate OperationsChuang Wang0Hao Wu1Quanwang Niu2Xiaohong Yan3Xiangfu Wang4College of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinaCollege of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinaWhile liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) show promise for diverse soft actuators due to their strong stimulus responsiveness, limited investigation into their light perception and processing restricts their wider use in intelligent systems. This study employs a hollow double-layer structure to design light-controlled logic soft switches based on LCEs. The design realizes digital logic circuits including AND gates, OR gates, and NOT gates, as well as an optical switch array capable of converting light signals into visualized digital signals. These light-controlled soft switches exhibit strong photothermal responsiveness (~12 s), high programmability, and excellent cyclic stability (>500 times). This research provides a new perspective on light-controlled logic soft switches and their applications in logic circuits.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/7/2051light-driven soft actuatorliquid crystal elastomerscarbon nanotubeslogic gate
spellingShingle Chuang Wang
Hao Wu
Quanwang Niu
Xiaohong Yan
Xiangfu Wang
Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
Sensors
light-driven soft actuator
liquid crystal elastomers
carbon nanotubes
logic gate
title Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
title_full Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
title_fullStr Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
title_full_unstemmed Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
title_short Light-Controlled Soft Switches for Optical Logic Gate Operations
title_sort light controlled soft switches for optical logic gate operations
topic light-driven soft actuator
liquid crystal elastomers
carbon nanotubes
logic gate
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/7/2051
work_keys_str_mv AT chuangwang lightcontrolledsoftswitchesforopticallogicgateoperations
AT haowu lightcontrolledsoftswitchesforopticallogicgateoperations
AT quanwangniu lightcontrolledsoftswitchesforopticallogicgateoperations
AT xiaohongyan lightcontrolledsoftswitchesforopticallogicgateoperations
AT xiangfuwang lightcontrolledsoftswitchesforopticallogicgateoperations