This is an epic review of the future of flexible and
stretchable electronics centered around our work. We have been fair and neutral
to discuss our vision and perspective on how flexible and stretchable
electronics will make their leaps to technology from academic labs. We humbly
but firmly believe CMOS technology and CMOS electronics will play critical
roles for flexible and stretchable electronics. This is a must read paper for
its comprehension, neutrality, pragmatism and vision.
Kudos to Aftab for this larger than life work. 25,000 words
are not matter of joke.
Invited Review Article for Special Issue on Flexible and Stretchable
Electronics in Advanced Materials.
CMOS Technology
Enabled Flexible and Stretchable Electronics for Internet of Everything
Applications
Aftab M. Hussain, and Muhammad M. Hussain*
Flexible and stretchable electronics can dramatically
enhance the application of electronics for the emerging Internet of Everything
applications where people, processes, data and devices are going to be
integrated and connected to augment quality of life. Using naturally flexible
and stretchable polymeric substrates in combination with emerging organic and
molecular materials, nanowires, nanoribbons, nanotubes, two dimensional atomic
crystal structured materials, significant progress has been made in the general
area of such electronics. However, high volume manufacturing, reliability and
performance per cost remain elusive goals for wide commercialization of these
electronics. On the other hand, highly sophisticated but extremely reliable,
batch-fabrication-capable and mature complementary metal oxide semiconductor
(CMOS) based technology has facilitated tremendous growth of today’s digital
world using thin film based electronics; in particular, bulk monocrystalline
silicon (100) is used in most of the electronics in existence today. However, one
fundamental challenge is that they are physically rigid and brittle. Therefore,
in this work, we discuss how CMOS technology enabled flexible and stretchable
electronics can be developed with particular focus on bulk monocrystalline
silicon (100). We offer a comprehensive information base to realistically
devise an integration strategy by rational design of materials, devices and
processes for Internet of Everything electronics.
Feeling oh la la!!!