New types of resistance strain gauges made of semiconductor whiskers

Abstract

We created resistance strain gauges on the basis of threadlike semiconductor monocrystals of tellurium and selenium and investigated their deformation characteristics under uniaxial tension and compression (up to ± 2.6 · 10−3) and hydrostatic pressure (up to 5 · 108 Pa). Their characteristics are compared with the parameters of resistance strain gauges made of p-type silicon. We developed electric contacts for selenium crystals and concluded that resistance strain gauges are promising for investigation of composite materials under triaxial compression.