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The integration of flexible integrated circuits (FlexICs) on flexible plastic substrates to deliver smart flexible electronic solutions has enormous potential across a range of consumer markets, including wearable devices, healthcare devices and smart labels. At present, reliable FlexIC integration for hybrid flexible electronic circuits is mainly based on conductive adhesive packaging which is too slow and/or expensive to address the highest volume products envisioned for consumer markets. In this research we have investigated low-cost bonding processes for FlexICs based on non-conductive adhesive (NCA) and thermosonic-adhesive (TS-A) bonding. Four-wire resistance tests, shear tests and bending tests were used for evaluation during process development. The results confirmed that NCA and TS-A bonding were feasible for FlexIC packaging, and the evaluation tests showed encouraging electrical and mechanical performance. This research is bringing novel bonding techniques that will significantly advance the development of low-cost manufacturing of smart flexible electronics to drive mass market adoption in consumer markets.

Our goal is to create thin low-cost flexible NFC tags to allow everyday objects to communicate to smartphones and computers and thus participate in the Internet of Things. We employ amorphous Indium-Gallium-Zinc-Oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistor circuits processed at low temperatures, less than 250C, directly on thin polyester substrates. Reaching NFC standards with a-IGZO circuits is challenging because the technology is n-type only and the electron mobility (∼15cm7Vs) is lower compared to silicon. As the main result, we show that the most important NFC regulatory standards are met, even with relaxed 5 micron design rules, using optimized design topologies.

We present an 8b general-purpose microprocessor realized in a hybrid oxide-organic complementary thin-film technology. The n-type transistors are based on a solution-processed n-type metal-oxide semiconductor, and the p-type transistors use an organic semiconductor. As compared to previous work utilizing unipolar logic gates [1], the higher mobility n-type semiconductor and the use of complementary logic allow for a >50x speed improvement. It also adds robustness to the design, which allowed for a more complex and complete standard cell library. The microprocessor consists of two parts, a processor core chip and an instruction generator. The instructions are stored in a Write-Once-Read-Many (WORM) memory formatted by a post-fabrication inkjet printing step, called Print-Programmable Read-Only Memory (P2ROM). The entire processing was performed at temperatures compatible with plastic foil substrates, i.e., at or below 250°C [2].

Summary form only given.Thin films of ordered organic semiconductors are being investigated as channel materials in field-effect transistors for a variety of applications. A detailed understanding of charge transport in such organic thin- film semiconductors used in field-effect transistors is of fundamental interest and is also essential to improve device performance. Our work examines the dynamic response of organic transistors in detail and extracts the drift velocity and mobility directly. The drift mobility and field-effect mobility are compared for pentacene and a liquid crystalline polymer with high mobility. The switching speed of FETs with channel length in the 2-8 micron range and scaling behavior of organic transistors (with channel lengths from 10 nm to 5 microns) are described. Frequency domain measurements have been made on diode connected transistors. Comparisons between frequency domain and time domain measurements will be presented. Finally, two important applications of organic transistors: RFID Tags and display drivers are discussed with regard to speed/mobility requirements and future trends.