Fabrication and application of intrinsic stretchable electrodes using physical vapor deposition

Abstract

Stretchable electrodes with intrinsic stretchability are recognized as a new technology to be developed as they play an essential role in measuring and controlling electrical signals as a basic component for making electronic devices, biosensors, and medical devices having various form factors. These electrodes have high flexibility and stretchability, they can be used even in curved environments such as the body, and provide high reliability and mechanical stability. Physical vapor deposition used in manufacturing it is a method of depositing on the surface in a gas or vapor state using a solid material, and basically no chemical reaction or bonding occurs and it can be precisely deposited. In this dissertation, we propose various methods to improve the stretchability of metal thin-films by physical vapor deposition. At this time, we propose a hybrid structure in which conductive materials are inserted between metal thin-films or a network structure made by sequential deposition of liquid metal. The stretchable electrode using the above method provides improved stretchability and mechanical stability compared to conventional metal thin-films, and shows new phenomena such as negative piezoresistivity, which reduces resistance when stretched. In summary, stretchable electrodes manufactured using physical vapor deposition technology have great potential as a component of new electronic devices with stretchability and versatility, and new applications in various fields can be explored using these electrodes.