Interfacial Engineering Enabled High-Resolution Stretchable Metal-Level Conductive Lines and Transparent Conductor

Abstract

As stretchable electronics advance toward higher integration density and finer feature sizes, stretchable conductors, which serve as the architectural backbone of these electronics, must be scaled down accordingly. However, achieving both high stretchability and high electrical conductivity at high resolution remains a challenge using existing conductive materials. Here, through material design and interfacial engineering, we develop a thiol-functionalized conducting polymer/gold hybrid stack that can be patterned down to 4 micrometer linewidths using standard photolithography, while maintaining high stretchability, metal-like conductivity (>40,000 S/cm), and environmental stability. Leveraging this capability, we demonstrate grid-based stretchable transparent electrodes that surpass the figure-of-merit of indium tin oxide, as well as a 1000-pixel-per-inch image interconnected with stretchable lines. This work helps to broaden the scope of next-generation functional soft electronics, including e-skins and bioelectronics.