Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid State Technologies EMFTUltrathin, flexible, and manufactured at scale: In the CFP project, Fraunhofer EMFT, Fraunhofer IZM, and Yamagata University are developing novel chip foil packages for flexible electronics. Together, they are working on materials, interconnection technologies, and an end-to-end process chain to reliably integrate electronic functions into soft, curved, or flexible surfaces. The goal is to create chip foil packages less than 150 micrometers thick that can be manufactured efficiently and sustainably in high volumes and used in medicine, industry, mobility, and other fields of application.
Chip Packaging for Flexible Electronics
ICON-Project CFP
Example of a chip foil package. The CFP project is developing new processes for the manufacture of ultra-thin, flexible chip packages.
Why conventional chip packages reach their limits
Flexible electronics opens up new possibilities for applications that benefit from thin and bendable form factors, including comfortable sensor patches and wearables, smart packaging, robotics, human-machine interfaces, and sensor solutions for medicine, industry, and mobility. A key prerequisite is electronic components that can be reliably integrated into flexible, soft, or curved surfaces.
Conventional chip packages, however, are usually rigid, too thick, or can only be produced using complex packaging processes. Flexible applications still lack end-to-end manufacturing processes as well as materials and interconnection technologies capable of permanently withstanding repeated bending, moisture, and temperature fluctuations.
From Materials to Reliability Testing
In the CFP project, the partners are therefore developing ultrathin, flexible chip foil packages. To this end, they are establishing a robust process chain and testing all key stages: the integration of ultrathin chips, the production of high-resolution conductor structures, encapsulation, and reliability testing.
The participating institutions combine complementary expertise: Yamagata University contributes sustainable printing materials, conductive inks, and flexible sensor systems. Fraunhofer IZM is primarily responsible for encapsulation, reliability assessment, and sustainability analyses. Fraunhofer EMFT contributes its roll-to-roll pilot line for hybrid flexible electronics, which is unique in Europe. This is where high-resolution conductor structures, processes for assembling ultrathin chips, and scalable manufacturing processes for chip foil packages are developed.
Scalable Manufacturing for Industrial Transfer
The chip foil packages are intended to be less than 150 micrometers thick and to provide lasting protection for electronic functions even under demanding conditions. Scalable roll-to-roll manufacturing should also enable them to be produced more cost-effectively, more resource-efficiently, and in larger volumes. In this way, CFP is laying the foundation for transfer to industrial applications and for new flexible electronics products.
The project is funded through Fraunhofer's internal ICON program.