Printed and Hybrid Electronics

Printed and hybrid electronics enable flexible, large area circuits on plastic and paper substrates for applications like smart packaging, wearables and structural electronics in automotive and aerospace solutions. PARC scientists work with commercial and government clients to invent and develop novel devices and systems comprised of smart inks and ultrathin microchips.

Our expertise in materials characterization and device and circuit design help to deliver industrial-quality electronic prototypes with exceptional functionality and manufacturability. We explore radically new manufacturing concepts, merging the micro and macro to create electronics in innovative form factors. And, we can build layered novel electronics architectures as an extension of additive manufacturing. We also maintain partnerships with material makers, in addition to printing, electronics and consumer product firms, to create this next generation of electronics.

Examples of our work include:

• Flexible electronics development for lightweight, rugged, bendable, rollable, and foldable devices
• Thin-film transistors and p-i-n photodiodes for flat panel display and image sensor backplanes
• Multimaterial printing processes combining inkjet, aerosol jet and extrusion printing for organic semiconductors, conductors, sensors, microchips and structural materials
• Customizing, building and integrating sensing electronics into any form factor
• Design and fabrication of hardened prototypes and proof-of-concept level demonstrators of materials, fabrication tools and product ideas
• Hybrid electronics prototyping using smart inks and microchips for smart packaging, automotive or wearables

Download our Information Sheets on Printed and Hybrid Electronics and Adaptive Current-Collector Electrochemical Systems (ACES) to learn more.