Challenges of printed electronics on flexible substrates

Printed electronics is an emerging technology that would likely complement conventional silicon-based electronics in numerous applications. In this paper, we review the different printing/patterning technologies for realizing printed electronics, and the major challenges thereof are delineated. We discuss why printed electronics based on Additive processing (fully-printed) has higher potential for ubiquity than Subtractive processes (non-fully printed). We present our printing process based on fully-printed screen printing, and the characteristics of the ensuing printed transistors and an op-amp. Of specific interest, to the best of our knowledge, the carrier mobility of our fully-printed transistor is the fastest of all reported full-printed transistors, and the fully-printed op-amp is the first fully-printed op-amp.