PATTERNING METHODS FOR STRETCHABLE STRUCTURES
First Claim
1. A method of making an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a flexible substrate;
depositing a first metal layer on the flexible substrate;
patterning the first metal layer, thereby generating a first patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed flexible substrate; and
exposing the first patterned metal layer and the exposed flexible substrate to ablation radiation to ablate at least a portion of the flexible substrate, wherein the first patterned metal layer functions as an in situ ablation mask and provides a structural component of the electronic device.
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Abstract
Described herein are processing techniques for fabrication of stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices using laser ablation patterning methods. The laser ablation patterning methods utilized herein allow for efficient manufacture of large area (e.g., up to 1 mm2 or greater or 1 m2 or greater) stretchable and/or flexible electronic devices, for example manufacturing methods permitting a reduced number of steps. The techniques described herein further provide for improved heterogeneous integration of components within an electronic device, for example components having improved alignment and/or relative positioning within an electronic device. Also described herein are flexible and/or stretchable electronic devices, such as interconnects, sensors and actuators.
123 Citations
81 Claims
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1. A method of making an electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flexible substrate; depositing a first metal layer on the flexible substrate; patterning the first metal layer, thereby generating a first patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed flexible substrate; and exposing the first patterned metal layer and the exposed flexible substrate to ablation radiation to ablate at least a portion of the flexible substrate, wherein the first patterned metal layer functions as an in situ ablation mask and provides a structural component of the electronic device. - 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)
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30. A method of making a capacitive sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a polymer substrate; depositing a first metal layer one the polymer substrate; patterning the first metal layer, thereby generating a first patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed polymer substrate; and providing a sacrificial layer on at least a portion of the first patterned metal layer and at least a portion of the exposed polymer substrate; patterning the sacrificial layer; providing a dielectric layer on at least a portion of the sacrificial layer, the first patterned metal layer and the exposed polymer substrate; depositing a second metal layer on the dielectric layer; patterning the second metal layer, thereby generating a second patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed dielectric layer; exposing the second patterned metal layer, the regions of exposed dielectric layer, the sacrificial layer, the first patterned metal layer and the exposed polymer substrate to ablation radiation to ablate at least a portion of the dielectric layer and at least a portion of the polymer substrate; and
wherein the first patterned metal layer and the second patterned metal layer function as in situ ablation masks and provide structural components of the capacitive sensor; andremoving the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method of making a sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a polymer substrate; providing a sacrificial layer on the polymer substrate; providing a dielectric layer on the sacrificial layer; depositing a metal layer on the dielectric layer; patterning the metal layer, thereby generating a patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of the dielectric layer; exposing the patterned metal layer and the regions of exposed dielectric layer to ablation radiation to ablate at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein the patterned metal layer functions as an in situ ablation mask and provides a structural component of the sensor; and removing the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A method of making a capacitive actuator, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a polymer substrate; depositing a first metal layer on the polymer substrate; patterning the first metal layer, thereby generating a first patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed polymer substrate; and providing a sacrificial layer on at least a portion of the first patterned metal layer; providing a dielectric layer on at least a portion of the sacrificial layer, the first patterned metal layer and the polymer substrate; depositing a second metal layer on the dielectric layer; patterning the second metal layer, thereby generating a second patterned metal layer that exposes one or more regions of exposed dielectric layer; exposing the second patterned metal layer and the regions of exposed dielectric layer to ablation radiation to ablate at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein the first patterned metal layer and the second patterned metal layer function as in situ ablation masks and provide structural components of the capacitive sensor; and dissolving the sacrificial layer. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification