Ductility of metal thin films in flexible electronics

Flexible, large area electronics using various organic and inorganic materials are beginning to show great promise. During manufacture and service, large deforma- tion of these hybrid materials will pose significant challenges in terms of high performance and reliability. A deep understanding of the ductility or flexibility of macroelectronics becomes one of the major issues that must be addressed ur- gently. This paper describes the current level of understanding on the thin-film ductility, both free-standing and substrate-supported, and relevant influencing factors.