Flexible Electronics Master Class Series

#1 Flexible Power Sources (1.5 hours)

As new materials and process emerge to enable the integration of high performance micro-electronics into paper-thin, flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), there is an increasing demand for new power sources that also support the goals of ultra-thin and flexible.

Among the key challenges is the ability to achieve high energy densities as the battery thickness decreases to a point where the packaging becomes an increasing fraction of the total volume. The challenge is further complicated by the demanding duty cycles for many FHE systems that require both high power (periodic, large current bursts) and high energy  (operation across many years in some cases).

At the same time, the new power sources must meet the typical high standards for safety, durability, compatibility with a wide range of storage and operation temperatures, and the needs to support effective integration into the FHE platforms.

The session reviews the challenges and progress for new power supplies that are emerging to meet the needs of the FHE community.

Course provided by Brian Berland, Chief Technology Officer, ITN Energy Systems

#2 AI in Thin-Film Manufacturing (2 hours)

This session describes how machine learning and AI-based approaches to research, development, and production brings advantages to clean room processes.  AI-based identification of time-varying equipment performance, and the effects of the previous recipe used on the outcome of the current desired methods, are just some of the ways AI can be used to reduce the process variability.

The team from Cornell University has applied AI approaches to optimize lithography and etching processes involved in the development of an RF wake-up NEMS (Nano Electro Mechnical system) switch that needs a well-controlled gap between a moving shuttle and a contact. The work is applied to plasma etching and the combined prediction of lithography and thin-film etching, using CD-SEM imagery for feature extraction and modeling process variables. Additional approaches to train process-modeling CAD tools to result in better process development experience are developed and explained in this session.

Course instructors includes Amit Lal, Chris Ober, Peter Doerschuk, Banyamin Davaji from Cornell University, and Garry Bordonaro and Jeremy Clark with the Cornell NanoScale Facility.

#3 Hybrid Integration Techniques for Flexible Electronics (1.5 hours)

The 1-hour class describes techniques practiced at PARC for the fabrication of flexible hybrid electronics.  Topics include printing interconnects, logic circuits and resistors, bonding integrated circuits and integrating sensors of different types.  The techniques are illustrated with various examples of wireless sensor prototypes on flexible substrates, and also development of electronics on textiles.

Specific topics covered in this session include:

• printing interconnects
• printing fine lines, pads and pad pitches with < 100um
• logic circuits and resistors
• bonding integrated circuits
• integrating sensors of different types on flexible substrates without significant performance degradation
• pick and place with micron-level accuracy

Course instruction given by Robert Street, Palo Alto Research Center

#4 Flexible Electronics Reliability Testing and Challenges (1.5 hours)

This online Reliability Engineering Master class is for people with an engineering or science background, who want to learn and use methods and techniques to conduct reliability analysis and improvement. This course is intentionally structured to show you a wide variety of reliability engineering knowledge and important applications.

This session outlines the foundation reliability engineering concepts and methods, and how to apply fundamental failure investigation techniques. You will also learn a range of effective workplace improvement solutions and risk analyses used to implement reliability engineering strategies.

Course Instruction given by Dave Rasmussen and Tom Seputis, Molex.