Materials and Flexible Hybrid Electronics
Flexible Hybrid Electronics utilize a variety of substrate materials ranging from thin plastics and polymers to ultra-thin glass and metal foils. Polyimide, parylene and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films are commonly employed as they can withstand bending, folding and stretching without damage. Rigid silicon and gallium arsenide die or chips are embedded onto the flexible substrate through techniques like die bonding, chip-on-film (COF) and wafer-level processing. Conductive inks made from silver, copper and carbon nanotubes are then printed or deposited onto the substrate using screen printing, inkjet printing, aerosol jet printing and photolithography. Curing follows to solidify the conductors. Multilayer circuit patterns can be built up in a layer-by-layer additive manner. Interlayer connections are formed through laser drilling of vias followed by via filling. Encapsulation and passivation steps protects the circuits.
Applications in Wearables and Medical Devices
A major application area is next generation wearable electronics. By leveraging the flexibility capabilities, conformal hybrid circuits can be integrated unobtrusively into fabric, accessories and personal garments. This enables monitoring vitals, tracking activity and connecting to mobile devices without hindering physical movement or comfort. Bendable hybrid circuits are also being incorporated into temporary tattoos and skin patches for continuous health monitoring. In the medical field, flexible circuits hold promise for minimally-invasive surgical and diagnostic tools like insertable catheter devices and endoscopes. They allow maneuvering through convoluted pathways inside the body while performing functions like sensing, imaging and drug delivery. Hybrid flexible circuits in bandages and wound dressings could accelerate healing by facilitating diagnostics and therapeutics directly at the injury site.
Advancement in Display Technologies
Display technologies have greatly benefited from flexible electronics. Thin-film transistor (TFT) backplanes are now being fabricated on plastic substrates to enable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays that can roll, fold, twist and bend without image degradation. This paves the way for wraparound and scroll-type displays. Hybrid semiconductor circuits in touchscreen technologies have enabled ultra-slim and lightweight tablets, laptops and smartphones with curved edges. Integrated flexible camera modules and sensors have enhanced augmented and mixed reality capabilities. The defense industry is working on developing flexible hybrid electronic systems for use in heads-up displays, virtual retinal displays and smart glasses. Advancements will make wearable displays a practical reality for applications spanning consumer electronics, telecommunications, transportation and more.
Integrated Flexible Energy Storage
Energy storage is an essential component for powering and operating flexible hybrid circuits. Significant R&D efforts are exploring ways to print rechargeable battery electrodes and hybridize die-level energy harvesters on thin plastic substrates. Lithium-ion batteries with dendrite-resistant lithium anode and flexible solid-state electrolytes show promise for clothing power. Paper-thin printed lithium-sulfur batteries could enable discardable device patches. Energy harvesting from body motion, temperature difference and other ambient sources through hybrid piezoelectric, triboelectric and thermoelectric generators is a potential solution for self-powered wearables and implantables. Perovskite solar cells on bendable plastic hold potential as lightweight flexible solar chargers. Advanced electrode materials like graphene are also enabling high-performing supercapacitors on plastic foils for fast charging. Combining energy storage and collection components seamlessly with flexible circuits will drive truly pervasive and sustainable electronics.
Overcoming Technical Roadblocks
Flexible electronics still face technical hurdles that need to be solved before full-scale commercialization and industrialization. Relieving mechanical stress concentrations during flexing/bending to prevent cracking of semiconductor devices and interconnects is crucial. Device reliability over thousands of bend cycles must be improved. Multifunctional components with strict overlay tolerance demand sophisticated registration methods. Hermetic sealing techniques are necessary for moisture and oxygen protection in rigorous application environments. Thermal management of high-power flexible chips poses challenges. Standardized design, fabrication and testing protocols need development along with modeling tools for formability assessment. Bridging performance gaps with rigid systems in aspects like operational speed and power consumption will expand scope. Resolving manufacturing scalability and cost issues through continuous engineering improvements will accelerate wider adoption.
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