Realizing high stretch ratio of flexible wavy circuit via laser carving

Abstract Stretchable wavy circuit is an essential component in flexible devices, which have wide applications in various fields. In the industrial field, the stretching ability of the circuit is a crucial factor for flexible devices. Therefore, this study proposes laser carving method to increase both stretch ratio and device resolution of the flexible device. The results obtained from the experiment and finite element analysis verifies that laser carving on the wavy circuit increases the maximum stretch ratio of wavy circuit. The obtained analytic model confirms that laser carving generates tilted section on the wavy circuit, and reduces the bending rigidity of the curvy point of the wavy circuit. The study also verified that laser carved groove induces crack propagation into vertical to the circuit direction, so that the laser carved wavy circuit is less likely to disconnect than uncarved wavy circuit. Due to the reduced bending rigidity and crack induce, the wavy circuit stretches more than the conventional uncarved wavy circuit.