Many electronic systems such as flat-panel displays, optical detectors, and sensor arrays would benefit greatly from mechanical flexibility. Ultraflexible and foldable electronics demonstrate ultimate flexibility, and are highly portable. A major obstacle toward the development of foldable electronics is the fundamental compromise between operation voltage, transistor performance, and mechanical flexibility. This review describes foldable and conformable integrated circuits based on organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) with very high mechanical stability. We review our work on such transistors and integrated circuits, that continue to operate without failure, without detectable degradation during folding of the plastic substrate.

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DOI: 10.1016/S1369-7021(11)70184-5