Stretchable organic integrated circuits for large-area electronic skin surfaces
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troduction Recent advancements in material purification and process optimization using photolithography have led to the rapid growth and application of highly reliable silicon (Si)-based electronic integrated circuits. However, all materials used in such conventional Si-based electronics have focused only on electrical features, but not mechanical features (flexibility and stretchability). These high-purity rigid materials usually exhibit good electronic performance and controllability or stability; however, they exhibit poor mechanical robustness. On the other hand, soft electronic materials show the desired mechanical properties while exhibiting poor electronic properties. Indeed, the maximum conductivity of conducting rubbers comprising carbon particles is 0.1 S/cm, thus making them unsuitable for applications in wiring of integrated circuits. Recent studies have led to the development of new electronic applications based on the interdisciplinary nature of electronics. This, in turn, has led to the realization of flexible electronics with excellent electronic performance
and mechanical stability.1–22 Furthermore, the applications of materials science is not limited to flexible electronics but can be extended to stretchable electronics as well. The stretchability of electronic circuits can potentially result in the development of a new class of applications, especially in large-area electronics,1–22 because this makes it possible to stretch an electronic circuit over a wide range of curved surfaces and movable parts. In the last decade, thin and lightweight large-area electronic devices have been developed, thereby enabling the placement of solar cells7 and displays on roofs and walls, respectively. Further efforts in enhancing the flexibility of electronic displays are expected to make them bendable and rollable. 8–16 Large-area sensors, 17–19 actuators, 20,21 and memories 22 are used for embedding intelligence in surfaces. Thus, largearea electronic devices will be further developed to include elasticity; subsequently, it will be possible to place sheet-type devices on curved surfaces. There are two primary materials challenges in realizing stretchable electronics. One challenge is to ensure the
Tsuyoshi Sekitani, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Tokyo; [email protected] Takao Someya, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Tokyo; [email protected] DOI: 10.1557/mrs.2012.42
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MRS BULLETIN • VOLUME 37 • MARCH 2012 • www.mrs.org/bulletin
© 2012 Materials Research Society
STRETCHABLE ORGANIC INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR LARGE-AREA ELECTRONIC SKIN SURFACES
simultaneous achievement of excellent mechanical robustdeveloped for use in electronic artificial skin (E-skin) of ness and electronic performance. To address this issue, varifuture-generation robots.17 Figure 1a shows an example of such an application; devices embedded in a plastic film are ous types of highly conductive stretchable materials have inherently flexible, and their bendability
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