Laser carbonized fiber-based sensors for flexible anisotropic strain detection

Carbon fiber-based sensors have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation wearable electronics due to their flexibility and lightweight characteristics. However, conventional manufacturing methods relying on energy- and time-intensive high-temperature processes hinder the fabrication of patterned devices. Here, we demonstrate a novel fiber-based anisotropic strain sensor fabricated through a low-temperature laser carbonization technique combined with oriented fiber membranes. The proposed device exhibits exceptional performance metrics: a bending sensitivity of −166.61 (0.08–0.66 % strain range), ultrafast response/recovery time of 42/42 ms, and remarkable durability over 10,000 cyclic bending tests. Particularly, the directional sensing capability enables precise 0–90° bending angle detection and motion de-modulation, overcoming the isotropic limitation of conventional carbon fiber sensors. This work establishes a scalable manufacturing strategy for energy-efficient production of patterned electronic textiles, showing significant potential for human-machine interfaces and smart wearable applications.