Description

This issue of Microelectronics TOE profiles innovations in flexible electronic circuits and provides insights on IP landscape, growth factors, target applications, and market trends. Innovations profiled include a stretchable and wearable electronic circuit, a flexible microcircuit using additive photolithographic processes, a circuit for flexible electronic skin development, and a multi-layered and double sided flexible printed circuit board.

The Microelectronics TechVision Opportunity Engine (TOE) captures global electronics-related innovations and developments on a weekly basis. Developments are centred on electronics attributed by low power and cost, smaller size, better viewing, display and interface facilities, wireless connectivity, higher memory capacity, flexibility and wearables. Research focus themes include small footprint lightweight devices (CNTs, graphene), smart monitoring and control (touch and haptics), energy efficiency (LEDs, OLEDs, power and thermal management, energy harvesting), and high speed and improved conductivity devices (SiC, GaN, GaAs).

Miniaturization, a move toward lower power consumption, and the need for enhanced features are driving innovations in the electronics sector. Technology focus areas include semiconductor manufacturing and design, flexible electronics, 3D integration/IC, MEMS and NEMS, solid state lighting, advanced displays, nanoelectronics, wearable electronics, brain computer interface, advanced displays, near field communication, and next generation data storage or memory.

Keywords: Flexible electronics, flexible circuits, flexible PCB, printed circuit boards