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Paper-thin Integrated Circuits

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the thin-is-good dept.

EngrBohn writes "According to the EE Times, Toshiba has developed paper-thin IC packages, getting ICs down to 50microns thick. First marketed product is to be ultra-thin flash memories stacked into a SmartMedia card. Envisioned applications include mounting a circuit on a curved surface and, for the conspiracy theorists, a postage-stamp-sized transmitter & antenna that can be pasted to any surface. "

4 of 44 comments (clear)

  1. old news.... by hummer · · Score: 2

    and, for the conspiracy theorists, a postage-stamp-sized transmitter & antenna that can be pasted to any surface. "

    so? Intel in conjunction with M$ have been doing this for years. oh? you thought that intel inside sticker was just free advertising? no no no...

  2. Curved surfaces, MEMS, etc... by Tekmage · · Score: 3

    Personally, I prefer the ball semiconductor approach for microelectronics on curved surfaces. :-)

    Or for antenna-type structures, go for EFAB.

    ...and then there's that microphone reported a while back.

    --
    --The more you know, the less you know.
  3. Bendy circuits by EnglishTim · · Score: 3

    The possibility of bendy circuits is the most exciting to me - when I compare my wallet with my Palm III, I find that although my wallet is wider and thicker, it fits in my pocket a lot more easliy, largely because it has a small amount of 'give' and is able to contour (to a small extent) to the curve of my butt.

    My Palm III, however won't curve at all and therefore causes me discomfort if I sit down with it stuffed in my back trouser pocket.

    Slightly bendy electronics would probably also be a lot more resilient to bangs and knocks, as much of the kinetic energy would be transferred into bending the device rather than snapping it's components.

  4. Re:SmartMedia vs. Compact Flash by Bryan+Andersen · · Score: 2

    Roughly.

    The smartmedia interface uses fewer IO lines, and the case is designed for compactness. It's designed as an addressed sequential storage/retreival system with a relatively simple software interface.

    The CompactFlash interface is roughly equivalent to a PCMCIA mechanically, and is 98% compatible eletrically. CompactFlash is designed to be ATA drive compatible, and as such is software driver compatible with drives in the PCMCIA cartridges, but much more complex than SmartMedia. To interface a Compact Flash card to a laptop with PCMCIA interface only requires a simple mechanical converter to connect the pins from one to the other in the right order.