Ductility of metal thin films in flexible electronics

Flexible, large area electronics using various organic and inorganic materials are beginning to show great promise. During manufacture and service, large deformation of these hybrid materials will pose significant challenges in terms of high performance and reliability. A deep understanding of the ductility or flexibility of macroelectronics becomes one of the major issues that must be addressed urgently. This paper describes the current level of understanding on the thin-film ductility, both free-standing and substrate-supported, and relevant influencing factors. Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2004CB619303), the 111 Project of China (Grant No. B06025), and the Science and Technology Key Project from Ministry of Education of China (Grant Nos. 02182, 03182)