ECE 69500 - Flexible and Stretchable Electronics

Course Details

Lecture Hours: 3 Credits: 3

Areas of Specialization:

  • Microelectronics and Nanotechnology

Counts as:

  • EE Elective
  • CMPE Special Content Selective

Normally Offered:

Each Fall

Campus/Online:

On-campus and online

Catalog Description:

This course focuses on development of in-depth foundation on this emerging area of future electronics. Traditionally electronic devices and systems have been physically rigid and bulky. However, back in the eighties Prof. Eli Yablonovich of UCB predicted flexible electronic materials by lift-off process and in 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Berkeley Alumni Prof. Alan Heeger of UCSB for discovery of conductive polymers. These two events propelled a surge in innovative materials, processes, and applications in the exciting area of flexible and stretchable electronics. Nonetheless, the area itself is vast and topics vary significantly. Therefore, in this course, a comprehensive view about the past, present and future of flexible and stretchable electronics is categorically discussed in an unbiased manner. Lessons and discussions will include but not limited to physics and mechanics of flexible and stretchable electronics, traditional and emerging materials, novel processes, integration strategies, device performance and reliability, system integration complexity, manufacturing aspects and wide ranging applications. A key objective of overall learning would be to bridge the gap between status-quo and technology transfer requirement for ubiquitous deployment of flexible and stretchable electronics in our daily life.

Required Text(s):

None.

Recommended Text(s):

  1. Handbook of Flexible and Stretchable Electronics (available online through Purdue Libraries) , 1st Edition , Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa; El-Atab, Nazek , Boca Raton: CRC Press , 2019 , ISBN No. 1-351-62309-5

Lecture Outline:

Major Topics
1 3 classes: Physics, mechanics: Introduction, flexible electronics, stretchable electronics
2 7 classes: Materials and processes: Organic, 1D, 2D, Amorphous oxide semiconductor, Paper, Classical crystalline material
3 8 classes: Integration strategy for devices including performance and reliability: Logic, Memory, RF, Display, Energy harvester, Energy storage, Sensors and Actuators
3 8 classes: Manufacturing aspects: roll-to-roll, transfer printing, inkjet printing, additive manufacturing, CMOS compatible manufacturing. Applications: wearable, implantable, textile, performance and reliability

Assessment Method:

Quizzes and projects (3/2023)