STRETCHABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120051005A1
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMEC International
• Original Assignee: IMEC International, Universiteit Gent Vzw
• Inventors: Vanfleteren, Jan, Axisa, Fabrice, Bossuyt, Frederick
• Granted Patent: US 9,247,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/749
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/565 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6835 using temporarily an auxiliary support
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2221/68345 used as a support during the manufacture of self supporting substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81001 involving a temporary auxiliary member not forming part of the bonding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/81801 Soldering or alloying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3142 Sealing arrangements between parts, e.g. adhesion promotors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4985 Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/49572 and H01L23/49855 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/81 using a bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01005 Boron [B]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01006 Carbon [C]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01013 Aluminum [Al]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01019 Potassium [K]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01029 Copper [Cu]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01033 Arsenic [As]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01047 Silver [Ag]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0105 Tin [Sn]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01072 : Hafnium [Hf]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01073 : Tantalum [Ta]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01075 : Rhenium [Re]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01076 : Osmium [Os]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01078 : Platinum [Pt]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01079 : Gold [Au]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/01082 : Lead [Pb]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/014 : Solder alloys
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0283 : Stretchable printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/186 : manufactured by mounting on or connecting to patterned circuits before or during embedding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 : characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0133 : Elastomeric or compliant polymer elastomeric conductor H05K2201/0314
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0355 : Metal foils
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09118 : Moulded substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09263 : Meander
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/016 : Temporary inorganic, non-metallic carrier, e.g. for processing or transferring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0271 : Mechanical force other than pressure, e.g. shearing or pulling
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1316 : Moulded encapsulation of mounted components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/007 : Manufacture or processing of a substrate for a printed circuit board supported by a temporary or sacrificial carrier H05K1/187, H05K3/20 and H05K3/4682 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/06 : the conductive material being removed chemically or electrolytically, e.g. by photo-etch process semi-additive methods H05K3/108
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/20 : by affixing prefabricated conductor pattern H05K1/187, H05K3/046, H05K3/4658, H05K3/4682 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/284 : for encapsulating mounted components H05K1/185 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3436 : having an array of bottom contacts, e.g. pad grid array or ball grid array components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 : Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

A stretchable electronic device is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a stretchable interconnection electrically connecting two electronic components. The stretchable interconnection includes an electrically conductive channel having a predetermined first geometry by which the channel is stretchable up to a given elastic limit and a first flexible supporting layer provided for supporting the electrically conductive channel and having a predetermined second geometry by which the first supporting layer is stretchable. The predetermined second geometry has a predetermined deviation from the predetermined first geometry chosen for restricting stretchability of the electrically conductive channel below its elastic limit.

Claims

1. A stretchable electronic device comprising:

a first stretchable interconnection electrically connecting two electronic components of the device, the stretchable interconnection comprising;

a first electrically conductive channel having a predetermined first geometry by which the channel is stretchable up to a given elastic limit, and a first flexible supporting layer configured to support the first electrically conductive channel and having a predetermined second geometry by which the first supporting layer is stretchable,

wherein the predetermined second geometry of the first flexible supporting layer has a first predetermined deviation from the predetermined first geometry of the first electrically conductive channel, the first predetermined deviation being chosen so as to restrict stretchability of the first electrically conductive channel below its elastic limit.

2. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a second stretchable interconnection comprising a second electrically conductive channel crossing the first electrically conductive channel, wherein the first flexible supporting layer is an electrically insulating layer providing an electrical insulation between the first electrically conductive channel and the second electrically conductive channel.

3. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrically conductive channel is formed in a first conductor layer and wherein the second electrically conductive channel is formed partially in the first conductor layer and partially in a second conductor layer.

4. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 3, further comprising vias through the first flexible supporting layer, the via being configured to provide an electrical contact between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer.

5. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second electrically conductive channel has a predetermined third geometry by which the second electrically conductive channel is stretchable up to a given elastic limit, wherein the first flexible supporting layer is provided for supporting the second electrically conductive channel, wherein the first flexible supporting layer has a predetermined fourth geometry by which the first supporting layer is stretchable, wherein the predetermined fourth geometry has a second predetermined deviation from the predetermined third geometry of the second electrically conductive channel, the second predetermined deviation being chosen for restricting the stretchability of the second electrically conductive channel below its elastic limit.

6. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined deviation takes the form of an increased width of at least part of the predetermined second geometry of the first flexible supporting layer compared to that of the predetermined first geometry of the first electrically conductive channel.

7. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined deviation of the predetermined second geometry of the first flexible supporting layer is formed at stress sensitive parts of the first electrically conductive channel.

8. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second predetermined deviation takes the form of an increased width of at least part of the predetermined fourth geometry of the first flexible supporting layer compared to that of the predetermined third geometry of the second electrically conductive channel.

9. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the second predetermined deviation of the predetermined fourth geometry of the first flexible supporting layer is formed at stress sensitive parts of the second electrically conductive channel.

10. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first flexible supporting layer comprises a support part at an end of the first and/or stretchable interconnection for supporting at least one of the electronic components.

11. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable electronic device comprises a layer of stretchable material in which the stretchable electronic device is embedded.

12. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first electrically conductive channel and/or the second electrically conductive channel comprises a first layer and a second layer, provided on top of the first layer, the first and the second layer being made of a different first and second electrically conductive material.

13. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the stretchable interconnection comprises a second flexible supporting layer configured to support the first electrically conductive channel and/or the second electrically conductive channel at an opposite side compared to the first flexible supporting layer and having a predetermined fifth geometry by which the second supporting layer is stretchable.

14. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined geometry of the first electrically conductive channel is a repeated first meandering shape being defined by a first angle with respect to a 0°

-baseline, a first width and a first diameter, and wherein the second predetermined geometry of the first flexible supporting layer is a repeated second meandering shape being defined by a second angle with respect to a 0°

-baseline, a second width and a second diameter, at least one of the second angle, width or diameter differing from respectively the first angle, width or diameter along at least a part of the first stretchable electronic interconnection.

15. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 14, wherein at stress sensitive parts of the meandering shape of the first electrically conductive channel, the second width of the meandering shape of the first flexible supporting layer is larger than the first width of the meandering shape of the first electrically conductive channel.

16. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the third predetermined geometry of the second electrically conductive channel is a repeated third meandering shape being defined by a third angle with respect to a 0°

-baseline, a third width and a third diameter and in that the fourth predetermined geometry of the first flexible supporting layer is a repeated fourth meandering shape being defined by a fourth angle with respect to a 0°

-baseline, a fourth width and a fourth diameter, at least one of the fourth angle, width or diameter differing from respectively the third angle, width or diameter along at least a part of the second stretchable electronic interconnection.

17. The stretchable electronic device according to claim 16, wherein at stress sensitive parts of the meandering shape of the second electrically conductive channel, the fourth width of the meandering shape of the first flexible supporting layer is larger than the third width of the meandering shape of the second electrically conductive channel.

18. A method of manufacturing a stretchable electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a conductor sheet made from an electrically conductive material;

applying a first patterned flexible supporting layer on the conductor sheet;

patterning the conductor sheet to form a first electrically conductive channel of the device; and

mounting electronic components to the first electrically conductive channel.

19. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising bonding the conductor sheet and the first patterned flexible supporting layer with a temporary adhesive to a supporting layer before the conductor sheet is being patterned.

20. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising applying a second patterned flexible supporting layer on the conductor sheet at an opposite side compared to the first patterned flexible supporting layer.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the second patterned flexible supporting layer is applied before mounting the electronic components to the first electrically conductive channel.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method further comprises providing a second electrically conductive channel crossing the first electrically conductive channel, wherein the process of providing the second electrically conductive channel comprises providing a patterned second conductor layer over the first flexible supporting layer, thereby forming cross-overs over the first electrically conductive channel.

23. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising forming vias through the first flexible supporting layer and providing an electrical connection between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer through the vias.

24. The method according to claim 18, the method further comprising embedding the stretchable electronic device in a stretchable material.

25. A stretchable electronic device manufactured by the method according to claim 18.