Course Profile


Goals of the Course

This course gives our students an insight into the emerging flexible electronics technology, involving new materials and processing techniques such as amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon, organic and polymeric semiconductors, solution cast films of carbon nanotubes, and graphene. Real device are discussed including high speed transistors, photovoltaics, flexible flat-panel displays, etc. 

Who is it designed for?

Students in their final years of undergrad in the Ingram School of Engineering.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the semester, students demonstrate the knowledge of the field of flexible electronics and ability to theorize design and implementation.

Maker skills it develops

Students who enroll in this course operate the machines in order to print their own ideas. Over the course of the semester, they learn how to design, fabricate, and measure various flexible electronics.

Prerequistes

Students who wish to enroll in Flexible Electronics should have taken Signals and Systems, Electronics 1 and 2. Admittance to the class is also available with written permission by the instructor.

Skills, Tools and Technologies Used

All use of technology is taught to students to ensure safety and productivity. Popular technology we use in this course is AutoCAD and Metalab (for design), a 3D electronic printer, multimeter, and semiconductor analyzer. 

Key Examples and Prior Work

Pulling from recent advancement and research, students gain an overview of the field of flexible electronics. I (Dr. Maggie Chen) also incorporate my research which focuses on flexible, printable, communication systems. 

Key Resources

A textbook is required for the course. In an effort to learn about the latest advancements in the field, scholarly articles are also assigned.  

Example Assignment

All students enrolled in Flexible Electronics design, fabricate, and measure their idea. The course is deliberate to teaching students through lectures and discussion and then testing their knowledge through experience. The major project for the course does just that. Students go from start to finish in an entire semester. The conclusion of the project is a presentation to present their creation and suggest improvements.  

Lessons Learned

I love teaching this course because it gives students the basic knowledge of flexible and thin film and allows them to test different ideas! They understand the manufacture process and the trend of future technologies.