High-speed and large-scale intrinsically stretchable integrated circuits

Intrinsically stretchable electronics with skin-like mechanical properties have been identified as a promising platform for emerging applications ranging from continuous physiological monitoring to real-time analysis of health conditions, to closed-loop delivery of autonomous medical treatment 1 – 7 . However, current technologies could only reach electrical performance at amorphous-silicon level (that is, charge-carrier mobility of about 1 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ), low integration scale (for example, 54 transistors per circuit) and limited functionalities 8 – 11 . Here we report high-density, intrinsically stretchable transistors and integrated circuits with high driving ability, high operation speed and large-scale integration. They were enabled by a combination of innovations in materials, fabrication process design, device engineering and circuit design. Our intrinsically stretchable transistors exhibit an average field-effect mobility of more than 20 cm 2 V −1 s −1 under 100% strain, a device density of 100,000 transistors per cm 2 , including interconnects and a high drive current of around 2 μA μm −1 at a supply voltage of 5 V. Notably, these achieved parameters are on par with state-of-the-art flexible transistors based on metal-oxide, carbon nanotube and polycrystalline silicon materials on plastic substrates 12 – 14 . Furthermore, we realize a large-scale integrated circuit with more than 1,000 transistors and a stage-switching frequency greater than 1 MHz, for the first time, to our knowledge, in intrinsically stretchable electronics. Moreover, we demonstrate a high-throughput braille recognition system that surpasses human skin sensing ability, enabled by an active-matrix tactile sensor array with a record-high density of 2,500 units per cm 2 , and a light-emitting diode display with a high refreshing speed of 60 Hz and excellent mechanical robustness. The above advancements in device performance have substantially enhanced the abilities of skin-like electronics. High-density, intrinsically stretchable transistors with high driving ability and integrated circuits with high operation speed and large-scale integration were enabled by a combination of innovations in materials, fabrication process design, device engineering and circuit design.