Color Discrimination in Color Vision Deficiency: Photon-Assisted Piezoelectric IGZO Color-Tactile Sensors with P(VDF-TrFE)/Metal-Decorated TiO₂-Nanofibers Nanocomposites

According to the Colour Blind Awareness organization's report, color vision deficiency, including color blindness and partial tritanopia, affects ≈300 million people worldwide. However, those affected can only improve their color vision deficiency by color light training and stimulation therapies or through contact lenses to correct vision with limited effectiveness. Herein, the photon-assisted piezoelectric indium–gallium–zinc oxide (IGZO) color-tactile sensors coated with poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) copolymers blended with metal-decorated TiO₂-nanofibers (NFs) have been investigated to boost the piezoelectric response at tunable wavelengths of light. Prior to the device fabrication, material analysis is performed to confirm the blending of metal-decorated TiO₂-NFs in P(VDF-TrFE) copolymers and the absorption of the three primary colors of light. By optimizing the blending percentage, the ferroelectric behaviors of the nanocomposites are significantly improved owing to the enhanced crystallinity of the β-phase. With the illumination of red, green, and blue lights, the photons are effectively absorbed by Ag-, Au-, and Y-decorated TiO₂-NFs, respectively. These absorptions generate electron–hole pairs via localized surface plasmon resonance for the enhanced piezoelectric response of IGZO color-tactile sensors, allowing people with deficient color vision to perceive different light colors by a touch motion.