Design and Manufacturing of Stretchable High-Frequency Interconnects

Abstract

The increasing number of biomedical applications for electronic systems have led to the need for stretchable electronics in order to significantly enhance the comfort of the user. This paper describes the design and manufacturing process of new stretchable high-frequency interconnects with meander-shaped conductors in a coplanar waveguide topology. The novel interconnects are produced based on laser-ablation of a copper foil, which is then embedded in a highly stretchable bio-compatible silicone material. Measurements on prototypes of the designed stretchable high-frequency interconnects revealed a maximal magnitude of -14 dB for the reflection coefficient and a minimal magnitude of -4 dB for the transmission coefficient in the frequency band up to 3 GHz. The influence of stretch on the performance of the high-frequency interconnects was analyzed using a stretch testing machine. The results showed that nor the magnitude, neither the phase of the transmission coefficient was influenced by elongations up to 20%.