Combination of Micro-Corrugation Process and Pre-Stretched Method for Highly Stretchable Vertical Wavy Structured...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Metal interconnects are crucial for electronic devices.
• Stretchable interconnects are needed for flexible and wearable electronics.
• Vertical wavy structures offer potential for high-density, low-resistance stretchable interconnects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel fabrication method for vertical wavy structured metal interconnects.
• To improve the stretchability and electrical properties of metal interconnects.
• To achieve high-density and low-resistance stretchable interconnects.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication using a combination of the pre-stretch method and the micro-corrugation process.
• The pre-stretch method involves a pre-stretched substrate to induce wavy structures.
• The micro-corrugation process uses micro-gears to bend metal foil vertically.

Main Results:

• Achieved a significant narrowing of the interconnect pitch using the restoring force of a pre-stretched substrate.
• Demonstrated a stretchability improvement of up to 165% compared to conventional methods.
• Maintained low electrical resistance (120-160 mΩ) and stability (±2 mΩ) under strain.
• Exhibited durability exceeding 6500 cycles at 30% strain.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method effectively enhances stretchability and maintains low electrical resistance in metal interconnects.
• This fabrication technique is promising for realizing high-performance stretchable electronics.
• The developed interconnects show excellent durability for demanding applications.