High Performance Digitally Printed Electronic Systems

Through the use of digital printing methods, custom electronic systems can be additively fabricated in an on-demand fashion. Many device types (logic circuits, sensors, memory, power sources, etc) can be printed entirely from solution-based inks of conductors, semiconductors, dielectrics and stimuli-responsive materials. However, all-printed systems incorporating these devices are often constrained in the appliations they can address by the performance of the printed circuits, which are typically limited by print resolution and materials properties. In order to best take advantage of the assortment of printed components available a hybrid approach that incorporates low-profile Si-CMOS components into the printed system can be used to provide a balance between electrical and mechanial performance, customizability and cost. Following this approach, examples of digitally fabricated hybrid electronic systems for wireless multimodal sensing will be described as will approaches for providing power to these distributed systems. Additionally, a print-like method of programmable micro-assembly to directly transport and orient large numbers of pre-fabricated silicon chips using electrostatic fields will also be discussed.