Flexible and stretchable semiconducting substrates provide the foundation for novel electronic applications. Usually, ultra-thin, flexible but often fragile substrates are used in such applications. Here, we describe flexible, stretchable, and foldable 500-μm-thick bulk mono-crystalline silicon (100) “islands” that are interconnected via extremely compliant 30-μm-thick connectors made of silicon. The thick mono-crystalline segments create a stand-alone silicon array that is capable of bending to a radius of 130 μm. The bending radius of the array does not depend on the overall substrate thickness because the ultra-flexible silicon connectors are patterned. We use fracture propagation to release the islands. Because they allow for three-dimensional monolithic stacking of integrated circuits or other electronics without any through-silicon vias, our mono-crystalline islands can be used as a “more-than-Moore” strategy and to develop wearable electronics that are sufficiently robust to be compatible with flip-chip bonding.
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27 March 2017
Research Article|
March 30 2017
Stretchable and foldable silicon-based electronics
A. C. Cavazos Sepulveda
;
A. C. Cavazos Sepulveda
1Physical Science and Engineering Division, Material Science and Engineering, Integrated Nanotechnology Lab and Integrated Disruptive Electronic Applications (IDEA) Lab,
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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M. S. Diaz Cordero;
M. S. Diaz Cordero
2Physical Science and Engineering Division, Mechanical Engineering, Integrated Nanotechnology Lab and Integrated Disruptive Electronic Applications (IDEA) Lab,
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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A. A. A. Carreño;
A. A. A. Carreño
3Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Nanotechnology Lab and Integrated Disruptive Electronic Applications (IDEA) Lab,
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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J. M. Nassar;
J. M. Nassar
3Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Nanotechnology Lab and Integrated Disruptive Electronic Applications (IDEA) Lab,
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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M. M. Hussain
M. M. Hussain
a)
3Computer Electrical Mathematical Science and Engineering Division, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Nanotechnology Lab and Integrated Disruptive Electronic Applications (IDEA) Lab,
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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a)
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Electronic mail: muhammadmustafa.hussain@kaust.edu.sa
Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 134103 (2017)
Article history
Received:
December 15 2016
Accepted:
March 20 2017
Citation
A. C. Cavazos Sepulveda, M. S. Diaz Cordero, A. A. A. Carreño, J. M. Nassar, M. M. Hussain; Stretchable and foldable silicon-based electronics. Appl. Phys. Lett. 27 March 2017; 110 (13): 134103. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4979545
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