A New Strategy for Multifunctional Polymer-based Substrates and Flexible Electronics

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AbstractThe objective of this research is to develop and demonstrate a new approach to introduce increased functionality into high density printed wiring boards that are the primary (and ubiquitous) substrates for electronic systems. The approach is a hybrid processing scheme in which traditional low temperature processing is supplemented by processing of key components on fugitive metal foils and integration with the polymer substrates. The approach will be demonstrated by integrating an oxide thermoelectric material with the polymer substrate. The thermoelectric device will provide thermal management for a module. A second demonstration will be the integration of switching transistors on a flexible array of thermistor-based sensors. The demonstration vehicles are also designed to allow critical, basic processing and materials issues to be addressed.The intellectual merit of the project lies in the novel and elegant processing strategy for low cost substrates, while addressing a critical problem facing the electronics industry, namely that of thermal management. The project is expected to have broad impact in the electronics industry, through the dramatically increased functionality that can be achieved with the common high density printed wiring boards, and flexible electronic systems. Low cost, integrated active thermal management is also expected to impact microelectronic modules. New sensor arrays will also be enabled. Furthermore, the project will educate one female PhD student, and will be used to excite high school students into pursuing STEM careers, alert them to energy issues, and entice undergraduates into graduate engineering research programs. The project will also foster international collaboration.