A novel cost-effective technology for low-voltage conformable electronics

The emerging More than Moore paradigm has introduced multifunctionality to integrated circuits, moving beyond the miniaturization trend of Moore’s law. Once focused on computation and memory, circuits now integrate real-time sensing, energy harvesting, and communication on a single chip. This shift is driven by research into alternative materials and techniques beyond silicon and CMOS, such as functional materials. Flexible electronics have gained traction, enabling device integration on flexible substrates, increasing resilience to mechanical stress and overcoming the rigidity of traditional ICs, thus enabling new applications in healthcare and IoT. Yet, achieving full conformability to non-planar, dynamic surfaces remains challenging, requiring new technologies and advanced materials. This thesis presents a novel, non-lithography-based technology for high-performance conformable electronic devices. It combines high-quality 2D semiconductors, such as molybdenum disulfide, with solution-processable polymers, including poly(vinyl formal) as dielectric and inkjet printed PEDOT:PSS for electrodes. Transistors and circuits are fabricated by sequentially room-temperature stacking of nanometre-thick layers on thin polyimide substrates. Additionally, as a research activity on the potential of 2D semiconductors with solution-processable dielectrics, this work presents an assessment of printable titanium dioxide nanosheets for printed electronics and albumen for biodegradable devices.