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Optimal design of self-similar serpentine interconnects embedded in stretchable electronics

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Abstract

The order-2 self-similar serpentine interconnects (SSIs) that joint rigid, functional devices can ensure mechanical integrity and stretchability in electronic systems under large deformations. However, the conventional design and analysis aim merely at the freestanding order-2 SSIs. The paper studies the design law and the stretchability of order-2 SSI that are bonded onto the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate in stretchable electronics through analytical modeling, finite element method (FEM), and experiments. The scale law formula is built to predict the stretchability of the order-2 SSI with geometry parameters based on FEM simulation results. The out-of-plane and in-plane bending strains during lateral postbuckling processes are proportional to the thickness and width of the order-2 SSI, respectively. The stretchability of order-2 SSI decreases with the increasing ratio β of order-2 space L 2 to order-1 space L 1, and it would be approximate to the stretchability of order-1 serpentine interconnect when β > 32. The optimized order-2 SSI is demonstrated in stretchable electronics application with high stretchability.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51635007, 51322507). The authors would like to thank the Laboratory of Flexible Electronics Manufacturing in HUST.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Digital Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074, Wuhan, China

    Wentao Dong, Chen Zhu, Dong Ye & YongAn Huang

  2. Flexible Electronics Research Center, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074, Wuhan, China

    Wentao Dong, Chen Zhu, Dong Ye & YongAn Huang

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  1. Wentao Dong
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  2. Chen Zhu
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Correspondence to YongAn Huang.

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Dong, W., Zhu, C., Ye, D. et al. Optimal design of self-similar serpentine interconnects embedded in stretchable electronics. Appl. Phys. A 123, 428 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-017-0985-3

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