Integrated electronic device with flexible and stretchable substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10462897-B2
Application number	US-201815923442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Mar 10, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A flexible and stretchable integrated electronic device comprising a substrate having a stiffness gradient, wherein a rigid electronic device is embedded within the substrate. The stiffness gradient within the substrate prevents delamination at the interface between the substrate and the embedded device. A method of fabricating an integrated electronic device having a stiffness gradient comprises applying a curing agent to an uncured polymer base material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an integrated electronic device having a stiffness gradient, the method comprising:
embedding a rigid electronic device in a substrate comprising an uncured polymer base, and
applying a curing agent to the substrate in a pattern,
wherein applying the curing agent in the pattern creates a portion of the substrate adjacent the embedded electronic device with a modulus in between a modulus of a portion of the substrate not adjacent to the embedded electronic device and the modulus of the rigid electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent is applied to a surface of the substrate using an inkjet device, an aerosol jetting device, or a 3D printer.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
thinning the curing agent using a solvent.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of xylene, trichlorobenzene, hexane, and isopropyl alcohol.

5. The method of claim 1 :
wherein the substrate comprises polydimethylsiloxane;
wherein applying the curing agent to the substrate in the pattern comprises:
applying the curing agent to a first section adjacent to the rigid electronic device at a ratio of base-to-curing agent of 5:1; and
applying the curing agent to a second section not adjacent to the rigid electronic device at a ratio of base-to-curing agent of 20:1.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises:
a first area of the substrate adjacent to the rigid electronic device and a second area not adjacent to the rigid electronic device,
wherein the first area receives a greater amount of the curing agent.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pattern comprises a continuous gradient.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the curing agent to the substrate comprises:
applying the curing agent to a surface of the substrate; and
allowing the curing agent to diffuse into the substrate.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the curing agent is applied manually.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate is heated as the curing agent is applied to the substrate.

11. The method of claim 2 , wherein the inkjet device, aerosol jetting device, or 3D printer applies the curing agent in the pattern comprising a plurality of overlapping areas of increasing size, each of the plurality of overlapping areas located in part over the rigid electronic device, thereby creating a gradient in the amount of the curing agent applied to the substrate.

12. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
controlling diffusion of the curing agent by adjusting at least one of: a temperature of the substrate, a viscosity of the curing agent, and a surface tension of the curing agent.

13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the pattern replicates a wiring pattern of the electronic device.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the curing agent to the substrate in the pattern comprises:
applying the curing agent to a first section adjacent to the rigid electronic device to create a first base-to-curing agent ratio;
applying the curing agent to a second section not adjacent to the rigid electronic device at a second base-to-curing agent ratio;
wherein the first ratio is less than the second ratio.

Assignees

• Univ Carnegie Mellon

Inventors

• Fedder Gary K
• Majidi Carmel
• Leduc Philip R
• Weiss Lee E
• Bettinger Christopher J
• Naserifar Naser

Classifications

• H10W74/114

  by a substrate and the encapsulations · CPC title

• H10W99/00 Primary

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• A61B2562/125

  characterised by the manufacture of electrodes · CPC title

• A61B2562/164

  the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier · CPC title

• B29C33/40

  Plastics, e.g. foam or rubber · CPC title