Micromechanics of Macroelectronics

The advent of flat-panel displays has opened the era of macroelectronics. Enthusiasm is gathering to develop macroelectronics as a platform for many technologies, ranging from paper-like displays to thin-film solar cells, technologies that aim to address the essential societal needs for easily accessible information, renewable energy, and sustainable environment. The widespread use of these large structures will depend on their ruggedness, portability and low cost, attributes that will come from new material choices and new manufacturing processes. For example, thin-film devices on thin polymer substrates lend themselves to roll-to-roll fabrication, and impart flexibility to the products. These large structures will have diverse architectures, hybrid materials, and small features; their mechanical behavior during manufacturing and use poses significant challenges to the creation of the new technologies. This paper describes ongoing work in the emerging field of research – the mechanics of macroelectronics, with emphasis on the mechanical behavior at the scale of individual features, and over a long time.