Flex Circuits and Nanotechnology
Flexible electronics, or flex circuits, is a technology developed for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible plastic substrates known as polyimide or PEEK Film. A flexible circuit design can also be in the form of screen printed silver circuits on polyester. These circuits are made using the same components that used for rigid printed circuit boards allowing maximum malleability or to flex during use. Flexible printed circuits, or FPC, are made with a photolithographic technology.
Flex circuits are used in different applications, including tightly assembled electronic packages where connections are required in 3 axes, electrical connections where the assembly is required to flex during its normal use, electrical connections between sub-assemblies to replace wire harnesses, as well as electrical connections where board thickness or space constraints are driving factors. This property of flex circuits definitely makes them very useful for design of components being used for many nanotechnology experiments and structures.