Stretchable Printed Circuit Board Meets Stretchable Light Emitting Gallium Nitride
Authors:   Fachgebiet Nanotechnologie, Institut für Mikro- und Nanoelektronik, Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Mukherjee Arka , Gohar Ahmed Hassan ,   Fachgebiet Nanotechnologie, Institut für Mikro- und Nanoelektronik, Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Centeno Luis F ,   Fachgebiet Nanotechnologie, Institut für Mikro- und Nanoelektronik, Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Schlag Leslie ,   Fachgebiet Nanotechnologie, Institut für Mikro- und Nanoelektronik, Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, A Isaac Nishchay ,   Zentrum für Mikro- und Nanotechnologien MacroNano, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 7, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Soydan Alper K ,   Zentrum für Mikro- und Nanotechnologien MacroNano, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 7, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Moreira Pedro H O ,   Zentrum für Mikro- und Nanotechnologien MacroNano, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 7, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Pezoldt Jörg ,   Fachgebiet Nanotechnologie, Institut für Mikro- und Nanoelektronik, Fakultät für Elektrotechnik und Informationstechnik, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 1, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany, Jacobs Heiko O ,   Zentrum für Mikro- und Nanotechnologien MacroNano, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Gustav-Kirchhoff-Str. 7, 98693 Ilmenau, Germany
Published: February 2025

The human body is a dynamic three-dimensional soft entity. Metal lines in commercially available electronic devices are mechanically flexible
yet insufficiently deformable, enabling rigid circuits with excellent electronic characteristics but limited compliance to mechanical stress. Future
electronics need to be independent of rigid electronic components to adapt to anatomical movements. Recent interest in elastic printed circuit boards
(E-PCB) has been enhanced by their potential applications in skin electronics, implant electronics, electronic bio-interfaces, electronic muscles, and
stretchable electronics. The new concept of metamorphic electronics involves circuits printed on a substrate that can dynamically change shape in
response to external conditions. The term “metamorphic electronics” is inspired by the biological process of metamorphosis which represents the
evolution of living organisms after birth. Systematic investigation of two aspects is required to ensure a longer lifetime of stretchable electronic devices:
• Stretching capability of each component in the devices is required, and
• Seamless integration of inorganic, energy-efficient components into the deformable active matrix.
In this paper, we discussed the fundamentals of metamorphic electronics implementation of a single stretchable metallization layer to achieve a reliable,
industry-compatible stretchable printed circuit board (SPCB), the challenges and its applicability in modern-day electronics. As well as fabricating
stretchable type III-nitride semiconductor optoelectronic devices and assembling these devices on S-PCBs. These S-PCBs show a stretchable (260%)
active matrix. We will also discuss the challenges in fabricating and assembling these devices on the SPBBs. We will discuss frontiers, challenges, and
prospects for stretchable metamorphic electronics.