Film-type connection system toward flexible electronics

Abstract

A thin electric connector has been required for use in mobile electronics. Although an anisotropic conducting adhesive technology, e.g., the use of an anisotropic conductive film (ACF), has been developed to meet the demand, the technology is not suitable for flexible electronic devices based on plastic materials, since the plastic films used will change their mechanical properties by pressure and heat. To address these limitations, we have developed a novel film-type connector composed of a base material such as polyimide, an adhesive layer that deforms elastically against pressure, and electrodes arranged on the adhesive layer. In this study, the contact resistance of a film-type connector is investigated and compared with that of an ACF joint through four tests related to reliability. Results of the tests show that the film-type connector is more useful than the ACF joint in areas such as future flexible fine-pitch interconnections.