From 2D to 3D: Strain- and elongation-free topological transformations of optoelectronic circuits

Abstract

Optoelectronic circuits in 3D shapes with large deformations can offer additional functionalities inaccessible to conventional planar electronics based on 2D geometries constrained by conventional photolithographic patterning processes. A light-sensing focal plane array (FPA) used in imagers is one example of a system that can benefit from fabrication on curved surfaces. By mimicking the hemispherical shape of the retina in the human eye, a hemispherical FPA provides a low-aberration image with a wide field of view. Due to the inherently high value of such applications, intensive efforts have been devoted to solving the problem of transforming a circuit fabricated on a flat wafer surface to an arbitrary shape without loss of performance or distorting the linear layouts that are the natural product of this fabrication paradigm. Here we report a general approach for fabricating electronic circuits and optoelectronic devices on nondevelopable surfaces by introducing shear slip of thin-film circuit components relative to the distorting substrate. In particular, we demonstrate retina-like imagers that allow for a topological transformation from a plane to a hemisphere without changing the relative positions of the pixels from that initially laid out on a planar surface. As a result, the resolution of the imager, particularly in the foveal region, is not compromised by stretching or creasing that inevitably results in transforming a 2D plane into a 3D geometry. The demonstration provides a general strategy for realizing high-density integrated circuits on randomly shaped, nondevelopable surfaces.

IR Artificial Compound Eye

“…Along this work, one further progress could be expected in the integration of the ACE component with the curved or flexible sensor arrays, which offers opportunity to realize minimized IR vision system in wafer level by eliminating the relay optics and the IR pass filter, and this is especially hopeful as conformal optics for micro‐robots. On the other hand, novel MIR/FIR (mid/far‐infrared) polymer materials could find compatibility with our proposed fabrication strategy.…”

“…The FoVs of single ommatidium and the entire component are experimentally measured as 8° and 148°, respectively. The thin shell structure reduces the imaging aberration of the sub‐apertures at different azimuth angles; meanwhile, such structure makes the focal plane of the component just beneath its inner surface, which makes it probable to directly couple with newly introduced curved or flexible sensor arrays . Owing to the merits of: i) high‐quality imaging with remarkable IR spectral selectivity; ii) massively integrated imaging sub‐aperture array with enlarged FoV; iii) compact and wafery structure with potential integration with arrayed sensor, such proposed IR ACE component is perspective to find applications in IR imaging and 3D positioning.…”

Micro/Nanoscale 3D Assembly by Rolling, Folding, Curving, and Buckling Approaches

“…(iii) Transfer of a photodiode array onto a hemispherical surface using a PDMS punch. Adapted with permission . Copyright 2019, National Academy of Sciences.…”

High‐Resolution 3D Printing of Freeform, Transparent Displays in Ambient Air

“…Overcoming this limitation potentially could result in significant applications beyond improving the scalability in device integration technologies. [22,[26][27][28][29] Herein, we report a hybrid 3D printing system that combines DLP and electrohydrodynamic jet (e-jet) printing for the production of transparent and freeform 3D optoelectronic devices Direct 3D printing technologies to produce 3D optoelectronic architectures have been explored extensively over the last several years. [5][6][7][8][9] One of the alternative technologies that can overcome the limitations of photolithography is direct 3D printing, which has been explored extensively during the last several years for purely additive operations in which functional inks are deposited only where they are required for the 3D structures.…”