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Abstract: The work presented here introduces a materials strategy that involves physically transferred, ultrathin layers of silicon dioxide (SiO2) thermally grown on silicon wafers and then coated with hafnium oxide (HfO2) by atomic layer deposition, as barriers that satisfy requirements for even the most challenging flexible electronic devices. Materials and physics aspects of hydrolysis and ionic transport associated with such bilayers define their performance and reliability characteristics. Systematic experimental studies and reactive diffusion modeling suggest that the HfO2 film, even with some density of pinholes, slows dissolution of the underlying SiO2 by orders of magnitude, independent of the concentration of ions in the surrounding biofluids. Accelerated tests that involve immersion in phosphate‐buffered saline solution at a pH of 7.4 and under a constant electrical bias demonstrate that this bilayer barrier can also obstruct the transport of ions that would otherwise cause drifts in the operation of the electronics. Theoretical drift–diffusion modeling defines the coupling of dissolution and ion diffusion, including their effects on device lifetime. Demonstrations of such barriers with passive and active components in thin, flexible electronic test structures highlight the potential advantages for wide applications in chronic biointegrated devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioimplants that incorporate active electronic components at the tissue interface rely critically on materials that are biocompatible, impermeable to biofluids, and capable of intimate electrical coupling for high‐quality, chronically stable operation in vivo. This study reports a materials strategy that combines silicon nanomembranes, thermally grown layers of SiO2 and ultrathin capping structures in materials with high dielectric constants as the basis for flexible and implantable electronics with high performance capabilities in electrophysiological mapping. Accelerated soak tests at elevated temperatures and results of theoretical modeling indicate that appropriately designed capping layers can effectively limit biofluid penetration and dramatically extend the lifetimes of the underlying electronic materials when immersed in simulated biofluids. Demonstration of these approaches with actively multiplexed, amplified systems that incorporate more than 100 transistors in thin, flexible platforms highlights the key capabilities and the favorable scaling properties. These results offer an effective encapsulation approach for long‐lived bioelectronic systems with broad potential for applications in biomedical research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring soft-tissue biomechanics is of interest in biomedical research and clinical treatment of diseases. An important focus is biointegrated strain gauges that track time-dependent mechanics of targeted tissues with deforming surfaces over multidirections. Existing methods provide limited gauge factors, tailored for sensing within specific directions under quasi-static conditions. We present development and applicability of implantable/wearable strain gauges that integrate multiple ultrathin monocrystalline silicon-based sensors aligned with different directions, in stretchable formats for dynamically monitoring direction angle-sensitive strain. We experimentally and computationally establish operational principles, with theoretical systems that enable determination of intensities and direction of applied strains at an omnidirectional scale. Wearable evaluations range from cardiac pulse to intraocular pressure monitoring of eyeballs. The device can evaluate cardiac disorders of myocardial infarction and hypoxia of living rats and locate the pathological orientation associated with infarction, in designs with possibilities as biodegradable implants for stable operation. These findings create clinical significance of the devices for monitoring complex dynamic biomechanics.

Advanced technologies employed in modern respiratory airflow transducers have exhibited powerful capabilities in accurately measuring respiratory flow under controlled and sedentary conditions, particularly in clinical settings. However, the wearable applicability of these transducers as face-mounted electronics for use in occupational and sporting activities remains unexplored. The present review addresses the critical wearability issue associated with current respiratory airflow transducers, including pneumotachographs, orifice flowmeters, turbine flowmeters, hot wire anemometers, ultrasound flowmeters, and piezoelectric airflow transducers. Furthermore, a comprehensive analysis and comparison of all factors that impact the wearable applicability of respiratory airflow transducers are conducted, considering dynamic accuracy, long-term usability, power consumption, calibration frequency, and cleaning requirements. The findings indicate that the piezoelectric airflow transducer stands out as a more viable option for wearables compared to other devices. We expect that this review will serve as a valuable engineering reference, guiding future research efforts in designing and developing wearable respiratory airflow transducers for ambulatory respiratory flow monitoring.

Technologies that established in vivo evaluations of soft-tissue biomechanics and temperature are essential to biological research and clinical diagnostics, particularly for a wide range of eye-related diseases such as glaucoma. Of importance are advanced bioelectronic devices for high-precise monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) and various ocular temperatures, as clinically proven uses for glaucoma diagnosis. Existing characterization methods are temporary, single point, and lack microscale resolution, failing to measure continuous IOP fluctuation across the long-term period. Here, this work presents a multi-functional smart contact lens, capable of rapidly capturing IOP fluctuation and ocular surface temperature (OST) for assistance for clinical use. The microscale device design is programmable and determined by finite element analysis simulation, with detailed experiments of ex vivo porcine eyeballs. Such compact bioelectronics can provide high-precise measurement with sensitivity of 0.03% mmHg -1 and 1.2 Ω °C -1 in the range of Δ2∼50 mmHg and 30-50 °C, respectively. In vivo tests of bio-integration with a living rabbit can evaluate real-time IOP fluctuation and OST, as of biocompatibility assessments verified through cellular and animal experiments. The resultant bioelectronic devices for continuous precise characterization of living eyeballs can offer broad utility for hospital diagnosis of a wide range of eye-related disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Enming Song, Yanlong Bi, Yuting Shao, and Bofan Hu are inventors of a provisional patent application filed by Fudan University. The authors declare that they have no other competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Miniaturized reconstructive spectrometers play a pivotal role in on-chip and portable devices, offering high-resolution spectral measurement through precalibrated spectral responses and AI-driven reconstruction. However, two key challenges persist for practical applications: artificial intervention in algorithm parameters and compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) manufacturing. We present a cutting-edge miniaturized reconstructive spectrometer that incorporates a self-adaptive algorithm referenced with Fabry-Perot resonators, delivering precise spectral tests across the visible range. The spectrometers are fabricated with CMOS technology at the wafer scale, achieving a resolution of ~2.5 nm, an average wavelength deviation of ~0.27 nm, and a resolution-to-bandwidth ratio of ~0.46%. Our approach provides a path toward versatile and robust reconstructive miniaturized spectrometers and facilitates their commercialization., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

Bio/ecoresorbable electronic systems create unique opportunities in implantable medical devices that serve a need over a finite time period and then disappear naturally to eliminate the need for extraction surgeries. A critical challenge in the development of this type of technology is in materials that can serve as thin, stable barriers to surrounding ground water or biofluids, yet ultimately dissolve completely to benign end products. This paper describes a class of inorganic material (silicon oxynitride, SiON) that can be formed in thin films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for this purpose. In vitro studies suggest that SiON and its dissolution products are biocompatible, indicating the potential for its use in implantable devices. A facile process to fabricate flexible, wafer-scale multilayer films bypasses limitations associated with the mechanical fragility of inorganic thin films. Systematic computational, analytical, and experimental studies highlight the essential materials aspects. Demonstrations in wireless light-emitting diodes both in vitro and in vivo illustrate the practical use of these materials strategies. The ability to select degradation rates and water permeability through fine tuning of chemical compositions and thicknesses provides the opportunity to obtain a range of functional lifetimes to meet different application requirements., (© 2024 The Authors. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)