Transient electronic devices comprising inorganic or hybrid inorganic and organic substrates and encapsulates
First Claim
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1. A method of using a transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing the transient electronic device comprising;
a substrate;
one or more active or passive electronic device components supported by said substrate;
wherein said active or passive electronic device components independently comprise a selectively transformable material; and
an encapsulant layer at least partially encapsulating said one or more active or passive electronic device components;
wherein said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both independently comprise a selectively removable inorganic material responsive to an external or internal stimulus;
wherein at least partial removal of said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both in response to said external or internal stimulus initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components providing a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to said external or internal stimulus at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition; and
exposing said transient electronic device to said external or internal stimulus resulting in said at least partial removal of said substrate or encapsulant layer to expose said one or more active or passive electronic device components to said external or internal stimulus, thereby providing said programmable transformation of the transient electronic device;
wherein said removal of said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both in response to said internal or external stimulus occurs via a phase change, dissolution, hydrolysis, bioresorption, etching, corrosion, a photochemical reaction, an electrochemical reaction or any combination of these processes.
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Abstract
The invention provides transient devices, including active and passive devices that physically, chemically and/or electrically transform upon application of at least one internal and/or external stimulus. Incorporation of degradable device components, degradable substrates and/or degradable encapsulating materials each having a programmable, controllable and/or selectable degradation rate provides a means of transforming the device. In some embodiments, for example, transient devices of the invention combine degradable high performance single crystalline inorganic materials with selectively removable substrates and/or encapsulants.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of using a transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing the transient electronic device comprising; a substrate; one or more active or passive electronic device components supported by said substrate;
wherein said active or passive electronic device components independently comprise a selectively transformable material; andan encapsulant layer at least partially encapsulating said one or more active or passive electronic device components; wherein said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both independently comprise a selectively removable inorganic material responsive to an external or internal stimulus;
wherein at least partial removal of said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both in response to said external or internal stimulus initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components providing a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to said external or internal stimulus at a pre-selected time or at a pre-selected rate, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition; andexposing said transient electronic device to said external or internal stimulus resulting in said at least partial removal of said substrate or encapsulant layer to expose said one or more active or passive electronic device components to said external or internal stimulus, thereby providing said programmable transformation of the transient electronic device; wherein said removal of said substrate, said encapsulant layer or both in response to said internal or external stimulus occurs via a phase change, dissolution, hydrolysis, bioresorption, etching, corrosion, a photochemical reaction, an electrochemical reaction or any combination of these processes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification