Metal Patterning on Polymers for Flexible Microsystems and Large-area Electronics

Flexible microsystems and large-area, mechanically flexible electronic systems or macroelectronics, are attractive for a range of applications in consumer electronics, sensors, medical devices, and wearable microsystems. The techniques used for fabricating traditional microelectronic devices are not always applicable for macroelectronic devices. This paper investigates several approaches to precisely pattern metals and metallic thin films on flexible substrates. These approaches include photolithographic and non-photolithographic techniques. We have successfully accomplished precise patterning of metal thin Alms on flexible substrates made of polyimide (PI) and polyethyleneterephthalate (PET). Metals like aluminum, chromium, titanium and copper have been patterned on flexible substrates in this paper.