Materials for Stretchable Electronics

Flexible electronics has expanded the application spaces for electronic devices. A second revolution in deformable electronics will rely on the ability to stretch, opening new application spaces in wearable and bio-integrated electronics. However, the last century of electronics development has relied on rigid electronic materials such as silicon and gold. Making electronics stretchable requires a new paradigm in materials design. This masterclass will describe the underlying concepts behind electronic systems that can stretch, including interfacial adhesion, strain-dependent electronic properties, and processing challenges. Stretchable materials are difficult to process using conventional lithography, emphasizing the value of additive fabrication approaches.