X-Band Compatible Flexible Microwave Inductors and Capacitors on Plastic Substrate

Microwave inductors and capacitors compatible with low temperature processes form a route to high-frequency electronics on flexible substrates in conjunction with high speed thin film transistors. We report here the process by which one can fabricate passive components with X-band compatible performance on polyethylene terephthalate substrate by changing dielectric layer material and optimized design, where the method can be applied with most of the active device technologies developed up to date on flexible substrates. High resonance frequencies were obtained, comparing with former results, confirming the effectiveness of the approach with flexible dielectric materials. Studies on bending effects for the spiral inductors and metal on insulator capacitors show miniscule difference in performance related to bending radius. Performance enhancements compared to previously reported passive elements enable higher radio-frequency electronics on plastic substrates.