Materials, electronic systems and modes for active and passive transience

• US 10,154,592 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2014
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Rogers, John A., Lee, Chi Hwan, Yin, Lan, Huang, Xian, Leal, Cecilia Maria das Neves Barbosa, Harburg, Daniel Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Mendez, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US14/251,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20140323968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 604113
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0775 arrangements for connecting the integrated circuit to the antenna
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02164 the material being a silicon oxide, e.g. SiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0217 the material being a silicon nitride not containing oxygen, e.g. SixNy or SixByNz H01L21/02126 and H01L21/0214 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02274 in the presence of a plasma [PECVD]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0228 deposition by cyclic CVD, e.g. ALD, ALE, pulsed CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31111 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/31133 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/56 Encapsulations, e.g. encapsulation layers, coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/291 Oxides or nitrides or carbides, e.g. ceramics, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3121 a substrate forming part of the encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3192 Multilayer coating
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49894 Materials of the insulating layers or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0655 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0275 Security details, e.g. tampering prevention or detection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0286 Programmable, customizable or modifiable circuits by programmable non-printed jumper connections H05K3/222
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 : Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/185 : Components encapsulated in the insulating substrate of the printed circuit or incorporated in internal layers of a multilayer circuit semiconductor chips encapsulated by interconnect and support structures H01L23/5389, H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 : Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10196 : Variable component, e.g. variable resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10212 : Programmable component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0271 : Mechanical force other than pressure, e.g. shearing or pulling
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0292 : Using vibration, e.g. during soldering or screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0769 : Dissolving insulating materials, e.g. coatings, not used for developing resist after exposure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0776 : Uses of liquids not otherwise provided for in H05K2203/0759 - H05K2203/0773
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0786 : Using an aqueous solution, e.g. for cleaning or during drilling of holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/17 : Post-manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/175 : Configurations of connections suitable for easy deletion, e.g. modifiable circuits or temporary conductors for electroplating; Processes for deleting connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/178 : Demolishing, e.g. recycling, reverse engineering, destroying for security purposes; Using biodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/22 : Secondary treatment of printed circuits H05K3/1283 takes precedence; embedding circuits in grooves by pressure H05K3/107
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/285 : Permanent coating compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/287 : Photosensitive compositions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/288 : Removal of non-metallic coatings, e.g. for repairing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 : Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 : Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49124 : On flat or curved insulated base, e.g., printed circuit, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/239 : Complete cover or casing

Abstract

The invention provides transient devices, including active and passive devices that electrically and/or physically transform upon application of at least one internal and/or external stimulus. Materials, modeling tools, manufacturing approaches, device designs and system level embodiments of transient electronics are provided.

Claims

1. A transient electronic device comprising:

a substrate; and

one or more active or passive electronic device components supported by said substrate, wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components independently comprise a selectively transformable material;

wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components provides a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to an external or internal stimulus and 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;

wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components are independently characterized by an electrical dissolution rate (EDR) higher than a corrosion rate of said selectively transformable material, and wherein said EDR is selected to provide a pre-selected transience profile in response to said external or internal stimulus.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components comprise one or more inorganic semiconductor components, one or more metallic conductor components or one or more inorganic semiconductor components and one or more metallic conductor components.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more metallic conductor components are individually selected from Mg, Mg alloy and Zn, and the EDR is selected from the range of 0.5-3 μ

m/hour.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more metallic conductor components are individually selected from W, Mo and Fe, and the EDR is selected from the range of 10⁻

4-0.02 μ

m/hour.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein said EDR of said active or passive electronic device components is dependent upon a deposition technique for forming said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components, wherein said deposition technique is selected from the group consisting of physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, sputtering, epitaxial growth, atomic layer deposition, electrochemical deposition, molecular beam epitaxy, pulsed laser deposition, and metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein said one or more metallic conductor components independently comprises Mg, Zn, W, Mo or an alloy thereof.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein said one or more metallic conductor components independently comprises an alloy of Mg with one or more additional materials selected from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Ca, Li, Mn, Si, Sn, Y, Zn, and Zr, wherein said one or more additional materials of said alloy has a concentration equal to or less than 10% by weight.

8. The device of claim 2, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components independently comprises one or more thin film structures, wherein said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components each independently has a thickness selected from the range of 1 nm to 100 μ

m.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein each of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components independently comprises Si, Ga, GaAs, ZnO or any combination of these.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the EDR of said active or passive electronic device components is selected from the range of 0.1 nm/day to 10 μ

m/s.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the EDR of said active or passive electronic device components is selected from the range of 0.01 nm/day to 100 μ

m/s.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the EDR of said active or passive electronic device components is at least 10 times higher than the corrosion rate of said selectively transformable material.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the EDR of said active or passive electronic device components is at least 2 times higher than the rate of change in thickness.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more of said active or passive electronic device components has a pre-transformation density selected from the range of 0.1 g/cm³ to 25 g/cm³, a pre-transformation porosity selected from the range of 0.01% to 99.9%, a pre-transformation degree of crystallinity selected from the range of 0.01% to 99.9%, or a pre-transformation dopant concentration selected from the range of 10¹⁰/cm³ to 10²⁵/cm³.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein said pre-selected transience profile is characterized by (i) a decrease in average thickness of said active or passive electronic device components at a rate selected over the range of 0.01 nm/day to 100 microns s⁻

1, (ii) a decrease in electrical conductivity of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components at a rate selected over the range of 10¹⁰ S·

m<sup>−

1</sup> s<sup>−

1</sup> to 1 S·

m<sup>−

1</sup> s<sup>−

1</sup>, (iii) a change in morphology of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components, said change in morphology selected from the group consisting of pitting, flaking, cracking and uniform degradation, (iv) a decrease in density of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components at a rate selected over the range of 0.001%/day to 100%/ms, or (v) an increase in porosity of said one or more inorganic semiconductor components or said one or more metallic conductor components at a rate selected over the range of 0.001%/day to 100%/ms.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said substrate independently comprises a selectively transformable material.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more dielectric components supported by said substrate, wherein said one or more dielectric components independently comprise a selectively transformable material.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein each of said one or more dielectric components comprises one or more thin film structures, wherein each of said one or more dielectric components has a thickness selected from the range of 1 nm to 1000 μ

m.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein said one or more dielectric components comprise one or more materials selected from the group consisting of Si, SiO₂, MgO, silk, collagen, gelatin, PVA and PLGA.

20. The device of claim 1, further comprising an encapsulating material at least partially encapsulating one or more of said active or passive electronic device components, wherein said encapsulating material independently comprises a selectively transformable material that is at least partially removed in response to said external or internal stimulus to expose underlying active or passive electronic device components.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said encapsulating material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of MgO, silk, collagen, gelatin, PLGA, polyvinylalcohol (PVA), PLA, Si, SiO2, polyanhydrides (polyesters), polyhydroxyalkanates (PHAs) and polyphosphates.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein said transient electronic device is a communication system, a photonic device, a sensor, an optoelectronic device, a biomedical device, a temperature sensor, a photodetector, a photovoltaic device, a strain gauge, an imaging system, a wireless transmitter, an antenna, a battery, an actuator, an energy storage system, a nanoelectromechanical system or a microelectromechanical system.

23. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more reservoirs containing one or more chemical reagents that react to produce a volume of gas, wherein said volume of gas increases pressure within at least a portion of said one or more reservoirs until mechanical failure of said portion of said reservoir is achieved, wherein said mechanical failure of said portion of said one or more reservoirs exposes said one or more active or passive electronic device components to a chemical agent.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said chemical agent is selected from the group consisting of water, a nonaqueous solvent, an aqueous solution, an acid, a base, an etchant, oxygen, and combinations thereof, and wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of H₂, O₂, N₂, CO, CO₂, XeF₂, SF₆, CHF₃, CF₄, and combinations thereof.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein said chemical reagents react in an electrochemical reaction or an electrolysis reaction.

26. The device of claim 23, further comprising an actuator responsive to a user initiated external trigger signal and operably connected to said one or more active or passive electronic device components, wherein upon said device receiving said external trigger signal said actuator directly or indirectly initiates at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components in response to said internal or external stimulus, thereby providing a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to said external trigger signal, wherein said programmable transformation provides a change in function of the transient electronic device from a first condition to a second condition, wherein said user initiated external trigger signal is a user initiated application of an electric field provided to said device, a user initiated application of electromagnetic radiation provided to said device, a user initiated mechanical impact provided to said device, a user initiated flow of heat provided to said device, a user initiated flow of heat from said device or a user initiated application of an RF electric field provided to said device.

27. 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 one or more active or passive electronic device components independently comprise a selectively transformable material;

wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components provides a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to an external or internal stimulus and 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;

wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components are independently characterized by an electrical dissolution rate (EDR) higher than a corrosion rate of said selectively transformable material, and wherein said EDR is selected to provide a pre-selected transience profile in response to said external or internal stimulus; and

exposing said transient electronic device to said external or internal stimulus, thereby programmably transforming said transient electronic device.

28. A method of making a transient electronic device, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a device substrate;

providing on said device substrate one or more active or passive electronic device components, wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components independently comprise a selectively transformable material;

wherein at least partial transformation of said one or more active or passive electronic device components provides a programmable transformation of the transient electronic device in response to an external or internal stimulus and 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;

wherein said one or more active or passive electronic device components are independently characterized by an electrical dissolution rate (EDR) higher than a corrosion rate of said selectively transformable material, and wherein said EDR is selected to provide a pre-selected transience profile in response to said external or internal stimulus;

thereby generating said transient electronic device.