Wearable temperature sensors are becoming increasingly important for continuous health monitoring, personalized healthcare, and biointegrated electronic systems. However, conventional temperature-sensing platforms often suffer from limited thermal sensitivity, insufficient mechanical compliance, and unstable performance under repeated deformation, making it difficult to detect subtle physiological temperature variations in real time. Here, this tutorial status report presents a fabrication strategy for highly sensitive wearable temperature sensors based on gold-doped crystalline silicon nanomembranes. Gold diffusion into crystalline silicon introduces deep-level impurity states that modulate the Fermi level and shift the freeze-out region toward the physiological temperature range, enabling an ultrahigh negative temperature coefficient of resistance. By integrating the gold-doped silicon nanomembrane with a polyimide-supported ultrathin platform, neutral mechanical plane design, and serpentine mesh interconnects, the resulting device can provide high thermal sensitivity, fast response, conformal skin attachment, and stable operation under mechanical deformation. This fabrication approach is expected to broaden the use of impurity-engineered silicon nanomembranes in next-generation wearable sensors, flexible bioelectronics, and multifunctional healthcare monitoring systems.
This review offers a critical overview of recent developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials and flexible device architectures for self-powered wearable and Internet of Things systems. It examines the scientific and technological rationale for replacing conventional battery-dependent power sources with ambient mechanical energy harvesters, and it evaluates the relative merits of inorganic ceramics, organic polymers, and composite systems in achieving efficient electromechanical conversion under practical operating conditions. The discussion further considers compositional tuning, phase boundary engineering, microstructural optimization, and device-level integration as key strategies for improving piezoelectric output, mechanical compliance, durability, and manufacturability. By connecting fundamental materials design with application-driven device requirements, the review identifies the principal challenges and emerging directions necessary for the realization of reliable, scalable, and sustainable electronic platforms.
The growing demand for thinner, lighter, and more energy-efficient electronic systems has driven the development of acoustic technologies toward compact and flexible sound generation platforms. Despite significant progress, conventional electromagnetic speakers remain limited by bulky structures, energy losses, and poor compatibility with modern ultrathin devices. In this review, recent advancements in piezoelectric acoustic systems are presented, demonstrating a new generation of speakers capable of producing high-fidelity sound from ultra-slim, lightweight, and mechanically compliant designs. Through refined structural configurations and efficient electromechanical coupling, these piezoelectric exciters achieve strong acoustic output, fast response, and wide frequency operation while drastically reducing component thickness. These exciters also show their suitability for seamless integration into flexible displays, wearable devices, and automotive panels, offering enhanced spatial audio practicality and multifunctional operation, including demonstrative output and sensing. This advancement marks a step toward the convergence of acoustic, haptic, and interactive technologies, for the realization of sustainable and immersive humanmachine interfaces in future electronic and automotive systems.
To ensure the long-term reliability of flexible photovoltaic (FPV) modules, it is crucial to develop an effective moisture barrier layer that prevents the infiltration of moisture and oxygen. We developed such a layer composed of parylene (700 nm) and AlOx (70 nm), optimizing its material properties, moisture-blocking performance, and processing conditions. The barrier layer applied to the Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) substrate demonstrated a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 6.33 × 10-2 g/m²/day and an average visible light transmittance (AVT) of 85.3% over the 380-780 nm wavelength range. For the FPV module with this barrier, Damp/Heat (DH) reliability testing was conducted at 85℃ and 85% relative humidity for up to 1,000 hours. During testing, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) decreased slightly from 25.4% (0 hr) to 24.7% (1,000 hr), reflecting a minimal reduction of only 0.7%. The primary cause of degradation was identified as a -4% relative change in shortcircuit current density (JSC) before and after DH testing. Consequently, the ETFE/parylene/AlOx multilayer moisture barrier proved highly effective in ensuring the long-term reliability of solar modules.
The rapid evolution of wearable technology has driven a surge in demand for sustainable, self-powered electronic devices. Flexible thermoelectric materials, capable of converting body heat into electricity, have emerged as a promising solution for powering next-generation wearables. This review comprehensively examines recent progress in organic (polymer-based) and hybrid thermoelectric materials, focusing on their design, fabrication, and integration into flexible architectures suitable for conformal contact with human skin. Key developments include advanced doping strategies, post-treatment techniques, and composite engineering, particularly in conductive polymers such as PEDOT: PSS and P3HT, which have significantly enhanced power factors and mechanical flexibility. Additionally, the integration of high-performance inorganic materials into stretchable systems has further elevated device efficiency and durability. The review highlights breakthroughs, ongoing challenges, and future opportunities in realizing practical, scalable, and high-efficiency wearable thermoelectric generators for sustainable energy harvesting applications.
The continuous and long-lasting monitoring of physiological signals induced from the human body is crucial for health monitoring, disease diagnosis, and treatment. In this study, we have reported the Seebeck effect-based flexible selfpowered temperature sensor which can convert the electric signals from lateral temperature difference. For demonstrating temperature sensor arrays, the p-type thermoelectric (TE) composite films were fabricated by dispersing the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 (BST) powders inside poly-vinylidene fluoride matrix and subsequently attached to the patterned electrode foils. The inorganic BST powders-embedded TE composite films with activated area of 0.5 × 1 cm² harvest a maximum voltage of 1.7 mV, a maximum current of 5.6 mA, and an output power of 2.6 nW from the temperature gradient (ΔT) of 20 K. Finally, the fabricated selfpowered temperature sensor array well detected the pattern images of external thermal source of ΔT = 20 K. This study manifests flexible temperature sensor array which paves the way for further advancements in this field.
Flexible micro-supercapacitors (MSCs) based on 2D MXenes offer strong potential for next-generation energy storage in wearable and integrated electronics, yet still face critical challenges such as limited energy density, mechanical reliability, and scalable large-area manufacturing. This review surveys recent strategies to address these limitations, with a particular focus on fabrication techniques and wafer-level integration approaches. Wafer-scale processing on both rigid and flexible substrates has emerged as a key milestone toward scalable, high-yield industrial production of flexible MSCs. By examining the strengths and drawbacks of current fabrication strategies, this review highlights essential directions for advancing MXene-based flexible MSCs toward practical and widespread application.
Smart electronic skin (E-skin) is an emerging technology that integrates electronic devices with human skin, enhancing human-machine interactions. One critical challenge in its development is effective thermal management to ensure device reliability, longevity, and user comfort. This review highlights passive cooling techniques - thermal conduction, convection, radiation, and phase-change materials - as key strategies to address this challenge without additional power consumption. These integrated mechanisms have demonstrated the ability to efficiently dissipate heat, preventing thermal buildup and maintaining optimal performance in E-skin devices. Recent advancements indicate that combining these methods can significantly enhance the thermal management of flexible electronics. Future research should focus on refining these materials and techniques to overcome challenges related to cost, durability, and environmental stability, thereby advancing the practical application of E-skin technology.
This study proposes an innovative methodology for developing flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) capable of conforming to three-dimensional shapes, meeting the increasing demand for electronic circuits in diverse and complex product designs. By integrating a traditional flat plate-based fabrication process with a subsequent three-dimensional thermal deformation technique, we have successfully demonstrated an FPCB that maintains stable electrical characteristics despite significant shape deformations. Using a modified polyimide substrate along with Ag flake-based conductive ink, we identified optimized process variables that enable substrate thermal deformation at lower temperatures (~130℃) and enhance the stretchability of the conductive ink (ε ~30%). The application of this novel FPCB in a prototype 3D-shaped sensor device, incorporating photosensors and temperature sensors, illustrates its potential for creating multifunctional, shape-adaptable electronic devices. The sensor can detect external light sources and measure ambient temperature, demonstrating stable operation even after transitioning from a planar to a three-dimensional configuration. This research lays the foundation for next-generation FPCBs that can be seamlessly integrated into various products, ushering in a new era of electronic device design and functionality.
With the recent development of emerging technologies, information acquisition and delivery between users has been actively conducted, and inorganic thin film transfer technology that effectively transfers various materials and devices is being studied to develop flexible electronic devices accordingly. This is aimed at innovative structural changes and functional improvement of electronic devices in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT). In particular, advanced technologies such as micro- LEDs are used to realize high-resolution flexible displays, and the possibility of heterogeneous integrated technologies can be presented by precisely transferring materials to substrates through various transfer process. This paper introduced physical, chemical, and self-assembly transfer methods based on inorganic thin film materials to implement heterogeneous integrated flexible semiconductor systems and introduces the results of application studies of semiconductor devices obtained through different transfer technologies. These studies are expected to bring about innovative changes in the field of smart devices, medical technology, and user interfaces in the future.
Laser-induced plasmonic sintering of metal nanoparticles (NPs) holds significant promise as a technology for producing flexible conducting electrodes. This method offers immediate, straightforward, and scalable manufacturing approaches, eliminating the need for expensive facilities and intricate processes. Nevertheless, the metal NPs come at a high cost due to the intricate synthesis procedures required to ensure long-term reliability in terms of chemical stability and the prevention of NP aggregation. Herein, we induced the self-generation of metal nanoparticles from Ag organometallic ink, and fabricated highly conductive electrodes on flexible substrates through laser-assisted plasmonic annealing. To demonstrate the practicality of the fabricated flexible electrode, it was configured in a mesh pattern, realizing multi-touchable flexible touch screen panel.
The low-temperature deposition of BaNi(2-x)CoxFe16O27 thin films with a Ba hexaferrite structure for electromagnetic shielding was studied. The BaNi(2-x)CoxFe16O27 thin films produced through the spin spray process were suitable for thin film deposition on a flexible substrate because it crystallized well at low temperature below 90℃. The change in shielding characteristics depending on the Co content of the BaNi(2-x)CoxFe16O27 thin film was investigated, and excellent shielding characteristics with S21 of -1 dB were obtained in a wide frequency range of 26~40 GHz when the Co content was 0.4 or more. The purpose of this study is to analyze changes in shielding properties caused by change in Co content in relation to phase changes in BaNi(2-x)CoxFe16O27 and obtain basic data for developing excellent flexible electromagnetic wave shielding materials.
Micro light-emitting diodes (LEDs), with a chip size of 100 micrometers or less, have attracted significant attention in flexible displays, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), and bio-medical applications as next-generation light sources due to their outstanding electrical, optical, and mechanical performance. In the realm of bio-medical devices, it is crucial to transfer tiny micro LED chips onto desired flexible substrates with low precision errors, high speed, and high yield for practical applications on various parts of the human body, including someone’s face and organs. This paper aims to introduce a fabrication process for flexible micro LED devices and propose micro LED transfer techniques for cosmetic and medical applications. Flexible micro LED technology holds promise for treating skin disorders, cancers, and neurological diseases.
Flash lamp annealing (FLA) of metal nanoparticle (NP) ink has provided powerful strategies to fabricate highperformance electrodes on a flexible substrate because of its rapid processing capability (in milliseconds), low-temperature process, and compatibility with to roll-to-roll process. However, metal NPs [e.g., gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), etc.] have limitations such as difficulty in synthesizing fine metal NPs (diameter less than 10 nm), high price, and degradation during ink storage and FLA processing. In this regard, organometallic ink has been proposed as a material that can replace metal NPs due to their low-cost (usually 1/100 times cheaper than metal nano inks), low-temperature processability, and high material stability. Despite these advantages, the fabrication of flexible electrodes through FLA treatment of organometallic compounds has not been extensively researched. In this paper, we experimentally guide how to determine the optimal conditions for forming electrodes on flexible substrates by considering material parameters, and flashlight processing parameters (energy density, pulse duration, etc) to minimize the difficulties that may arise during the FLA of organometallic ink.
Mechanoluminescence (ML) is a phenomenon where the application of mechanical force to ML materials generates an electric field and produces light, holding significant promise as an eco-friendly technology. However, challenges in commercializing ML technology has arisen due to its low brightness and short luminous lifetime. To address this, in this work, we enhance ML efficiency by mixing carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into a ZnS: Cu embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane composite ML device. The inclusion of CNTs boosts ML intensity by 98% compared to devices without CNTs, as the increasing CNT fraction elevates conductivity, thereby amplifying ML intensity. However, this increase in CNT fraction also leads to enhanced light absorption within the device. Consequently, we observe a trend where ML intensity rises initially but declines beyond a CNT fraction of 0.0015 wt%. Based on these findings, we anticipate that our research will make valuable contributions to the advancement of electrical powerless mechanoluminescent technology.
Perovskite materials are promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronic devices owing to their outstanding external quantum efficiency, high color purity, and ability to tune the light emission wavelength. However, conventional thermal annealing processes caused the degradation of perovskite, resulting in poor optoelectronic properties and a short lifetime. Herein, we propose a laser-induced recrystallization of perovskite thin film to enhance its light-emitting properties. Laser-induced recrystallization process was performed using rapid and instantaneous laser heating, which successfully induced grain growth of the perovskite material. The laser processing conditions were thoroughly optimized based on theoretical calculations and various material analyses such as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, and photoluminescence spectroscopy.
According to the recent global warming, it is necessary to use energy efficiently together with eco-friendly energy. The development of alternative technologies is requisite for managing the current energy and climate crises. In this regard, “smart windows,” which can control solar radiation, can be used to mitigate energy demands. Electrochromic devices (ECDs) effectively control the amount of solar energy reaching commercial and other living areas and maintain climate conditions via color modulation in response to small external stimuli, such as temperature and light irradiation. However, the performance and the stability of ECDs depend on the state of the electrolyte and sealing of the device. To resolve the aforementioned issues, an ECD was manufactured by using a poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), and a laminating method was used to adequately seal the ECD. The concentrations of PMMA, acetonitrile (ACN), and ferrocene (Fc) were controlled to optimize the composition of the GPE to achieve an enhanced electrochromic performance. The fabricated GPE-based ECD afforded high optical contrast (~81.92%), with high electrochromic stability up to 10,000 cycles. Moreover, the lamination method employing the GPE could be used to fabricate large-area ECDs.
Recent advancement of Internet of Things (IoT) and energy harvesting technology enable realization of flexible thermoelectric energy harvester (f-TEH), with technological prowess for use in biomedical monitoring system integrated applications. To expand a flexible thermoelectric energy harvesting platform, the f-TEH must be required for optimized flexible thermoelectric materials and device structure. In response to these demands related to thermoelectric energy harvesting, many research groups have investigated various f-TEHs applied as a power source for wearable electronics. As a key member of the f-TEH, film-based f-TEHs possess significant applicability in research to realize self-powered wearable electronics, owing to their excellent flexibility, low thermal conductivity, and convenient fabrication process. Thus, based on the rapid growth of thermoelectric film technology, this review aims to overview comprehensively the f-TEH made of various inorganic/organic thermoelectric materials including developed fabrication methods, high thermoelectric performance, and wide-range applications.
ZnO-based transparent conductive films have been widely studied to achieve high performance optoelectronic devices such as next generation flexible and transparent display systems. In order to achieve a transparent flexible ZnO-based device, a low temperature growth technique using a flexible polymer substrate is required. In this work, high quality flexible ZnO films were grown on colorless polyimide substrate using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Transparent ZnO films grown from 80 to 200℃ were fabricated with a metal-semiconductor-metal structure photodetectors (PDs). As the growth temperature of ZnO film increases, the photocurrent of UV PDs increases, while the sensitivity of that decreases. In addition, it is found that the response times of the PDs become shorter as the growth temperature increases. Based on these results, we suggest that high-quality ZnO film can be grown below 200℃ in an atomic layer deposition system, and can be applied to transparent and flexible UV PDs with very fast response time and high photocurrent.
With the advent of the IoT (internet of things) era, there has been discussion on how to efficiently use various information from daily life. In academic and industrial society, various smart devices such as smart watches, smart phones, and smart glasses have been developed and commercialized for narrowing the physical/psychological distance with user information. According to recent developments of smart devices, the contemporary people have desired to check their body information and treat disease by themselves. According to the needs of the time, biological researches by phototherapy/monitoring have been actively conducted. Among various light sources, microLEDs have been spotlighted due to their superior optoelectric properties and stability. In this paper, we would like to review the state-of-the research results on the next-generation biological therapy devices via microLEDs.
We studied the change of photovoltaic properties of a flexible CuInxGa(1-x)Se2 (CIGS) solar cell fabricated on polyimide by mechanical bending with curvature radii of 75 mm (75R) and 20 mm (20R). The flexible CIGS cells were flattened on a PET film, then placed and forced against the surface of a curved block fabricated with pre-designed curvatures. Both up (compressive) and down (tensile) bending were applied to a specimen of CIGS on PET with curvatures of 75R and 20R for 10,000 times and 2,000 times, respectively. From J-V measurements, we found that the conversion efficiency (Eff.) was reduced by 3% and 4% for up-and down-bending, respectively, at curvature 75R; it was greatly reduced by 15% for curvature 20R in the up-bending. However, the open circuit voltage (Voc) and short-circuit current density (Jsc) seemed to change little, within 3%, for the applied mechanical stresses. The degradation in Eff. resulted from the deterioration of the series (Rs) and shunt (Rsh) resistances of the solar cell.
In this study, the sterilization property of E. coli was established using a plasma generator with a flexible electrode structure. The bacterial suspension was prepared based on the McFarland standard 0.50 (1.5×108 CFU/mL) concentration and a specific amount was inoculated on the plate medium. After the plasma was discharged 3 cm away from the plasma generator in the range of 30s to 5 min and the results compared to the control group, the observed colonies that were formed decreased significantly as the plasma discharge time increased.
This study discusses and demonstrates the structural stability of highly ordered Pt patterns formed on a transparent and flexible substrate through the process of nanotransfer printing (nTP). Bending tests comprising approximately 1,000 cycles were conducted for observing Pt line patterns with a width of 1 μm formed along the direction of the horizontal (x-axis) and vertical (y-axis) axes (15 mm × 15 mm); and adhesion tests were performed with an ultrasonicator for a period greater than ten minutes, to analyze the Pt crossbar patterns. The durability of both types of patterns was systematically analyzed by employing various microscopes. The results show that the Pt line and Pt crossbar patterns obtained through nTP are structurally stable and do not exhibit any cracks, breaks, or damages. These results corroborate that nTP is a promising nanotechnology that can be applied to flexible electronic devices. Furthermore, the multiple patterns obtained through nTP can improve the working performance of flexible devices by providing excellent structural stability.
With the development of the Internet of Things, the use of flexible displays has become widespread. In particular, the use of curved, bendable, and rollable displays is increasing. Flexible display production processes include various important components such as lamination material, flexible substrates, and adhesives. Among them, improvement of the lamination process comprises a large proportion of efforts for further development. In this paper, we attempt to improve the transmittance of the display substrate by performing a bubble removal process after adhesion. The transmittance of the glass substrate with the bubble removal process was 5~12% higher than that of the substrate without the bubble removal process. The fill-strength after the bubble removal process was improved by 21.4%, and the shear-strength was improved by 43.9%.
In this study, we developed the solution-processed PMMA-HfOx hybrid ReRAM devices to overcome the respective drawbacks of organic and inorganic materials. The performances of PMMA-HfOx hybrid ReRAM were compared to those of PMMA- and HfOx-based ReRAMs. Bipolar resistive switching behavior was observed from these ReRAMs. The PMMA-HfOx hybrid ReRAMs showed a larger operation voltage margin and memory window than PMMA-based and HfOx-based ReRAMs. The reliability and electrical instability of ReRAMs were remarkably improved by blending the HfOx into PMMA. An Ohmic conduction path was commonly generated in the LRS (low resistance state). In HRS (high resistance state), the PMMA-based ReRAM showed SCLC (space charge limited conduction). the PMMA-HfOx hybrid ReRAM and HfOx-based ReRAM revealed the Pool-Frenkel conduction. As aresult of flexibility test, serious defects were generated in HfOx film deposited on PI (polyimide) substrate. On the other hand, the PMMA and PMMA-HfOx films showed an excellent flexibility without defect generation.
In this paper, we designed and fabricated low cost imprinting process for micro patterning on FCCL (flexible copper clad laminate). Compared to conventional imprinting process, developed fabrication method processing imprint and UV photolithography step simultaneously and it does not require resin etch process and it can also reduce the fabrication cost and processing time. Based on proposed method, patterns with 10 ㎛ linewidth are fabricated on 180 ㎜ × 180 ㎜ FCCL. Compared to conventional methods using LDI (laser direct imaging) equipment that showed minimum line with 10 ∼ 20 ㎛, proposed method shows comparable pattern resolution with very competitive price and shorter processing time. In terms of mass production, it can be applied to fabrication of large-area low cost applications including FPCB.
In this study ensuring a filming technology is attempted through dispersion technologies and mixing polymer scaffolds in order to produce films based on the nanowaires obtained from chitin. In addition this study proposes technologies in measuring and improving characteristics of films produced using nanowires and for applying electric conductivity to the films as a chemical and physical manner. Also, a possibility in applications of mass productive films or substrates to producing flexible and transparent films is proposed. In the experiment implemented in this study, it is verified that developments of high strength, high transparency, and high flexibility films can be developed through combining it with producing flexible and transparent films.
We established the emulsion method using membrane filter with precise control of LC droplet distribution in PDLC. PDLC cells with various LC droplet size distributions such as single droplet sizes of 1.0 μn, 1.9 μn and 3.5 μm, the mixture of two different LC droplet sizes and the mixture of three different LC droplet sizes were fabricated and the electro-optical properties of the emulsion type PDLC cells with various droplet size distribution were investigated. In the appropriate droplet size range, the PDLCs with the single droplet sizes distributions have good electro optical properties than those with the mixture of three different LC droplet sizes. In addition, the PDLC cells with the mixture of two different LC droplet sizes have the better electro optical properties than those with single droplet sizes distribution. The PDLC cell with dual droplet size distribution of 1.0+1.9 μm shown the best electro optical properties than the PDLC cells with other size distributions. This method enabled us to find the proper LC droplet size distribution for achieving both high transmittance and contrast ratio.
Next-generation displays should be transparent and flexible as well as having high resolution and frame number. The main factor for active matrix organic light emitting diode and next-generation displays is the development of TFTs (thin-film transistors) with high mobility and large area uniformity. The TFTs used for transparent displays are mainly oxide TFT that has oxide semiconductor as channel layer. Zinc-oxide based substances such as indium-gallium-zinc-oxide has attracted attention in the display industry. In this paper, the mobility improvement of low cost oxide TFT is studied for fast operating next-generation displays by overcoming disadvantages of amorphous silicon TFT that has low mobility and poly silicon TFT that requires expensive equipment for complex process and doping process.
Stainless steel (SS) mesh was used to fabricate photo electrode for flexible dye-seisitzed solar cells(DSSCs) in order to evaluate them as replacements for more expensive transparent conductive oxide(TCO). We fabricated the DSSCs with new type of photo electrode, which consisted of flexible SS mesh coated with 100 nm thickness titanium (Ti) protective layer deposited using electron-beam deposition system. SS mesh DSSCs with protective layer showed higher efficiency than those without a protective layer. The best cell property in the present study showed the open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.608 V, short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 5.73 mA cm-2, fill factor (FF) of 65.13%, and efficiency (η) of 2.44%. Compared with SS mesh based on DSSCs (1.66%), solar conversion of SS mesh based on DSSCs with protective layer improved about 47%.
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