Professor Chi Hwan Lee has earned a new patent for a fabrication method that could reshape how flexible electronics are made and used in biomedical applications.

The patent, titled Delamination Processes and Fabrication of Thin-Film Devices Thereby, outlines a clean and scalable technique to separate thin-film devices. Like sensors and batteries, from rigid substrates such as silicon or glass. Instead of relying on peeling or harsh chemicals, the method uses tiny hydrogen microbubbles to lift fully fabricated devices from their surface.

Lee, who holds appointments in biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering, The technique offers a low-cost way to transfer delicate electronics onto flexible materials without damaging the original device or the substrate it was built on.

The method starts with a thin gold separation layer on a wafer. After the device is built, the wafer is submerged in water or electrolyte. A small voltage triggers hydrogen generation at the interface, forming microbubbles that lift the device cleanly away. The wafer can often be reused, making the process more efficient and sustainable.

Lee’s innovation supports a wide range of flexible applications, from skin-mounted biosensors to eye-integrated devices such as smart contact lenses.. This aligns with his broader research goals in stretchable microelectronics and scalable biomedical manufacturing.

The patent was filed through the Purdue Research Foundation and adds to Lee’s growing portfolio of wearable medical device innovations developed at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering.

The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university’s academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. In fiscal year 2024, the office reported 145 deals finalized with 224 technologies signed, 466 invention disclosures received and 290 U.S. and international patents received. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. In 2020, IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information