When it comes to electronic circuitry, the unending search of the industry and scientists alike is for smaller and more effective tools. To that end, a Swiss team has created an electronic membrane that is 1/100 the size of a human hair.
The contraption was created at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Being only one micrometer thick, this ultra-thin electronic membrane can easily be draped around a human hair which, in contrast, is 100 micrometers thick.
In creating this membrane, the Swiss team used polyvinyl alcohol on top of a stiff silicon wafer. Then another layer of parylene was added over polyvinyl alchohol. Finally, a semi-conductor layer was laid on top followed by several micro parts of a thin-film transistor. When all was set and done, the team dipped the silicon chip in water which instantly dissolved away the polyvinyl alcohol.
Such a sleek electronic membrane can be put to countless uses. It can, for instance, be set up with sensors in connected systems. It can also be used for solar panels and even to create smart contact lens which may be able to display information and accomplish a whole lot of other tasks.
Courtesy: PopSci
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