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Nonlinear electromechanical topology optimization method for stretchable electronic interconnect structures

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Abstract

The conductive interconnect structure that connects the electrical functional devices is an important micro-nano structure in stretchable electronics. Given the reliance of numerous devices on steady electrical currents for operation, stretchable electronics would benefit from interconnects with minimal resistance variation during deformation. This paper proposes a topology optimization method for the design of stretchable interconnect structures with stable resistance under large deformation. In the proposed method, an equal material method considering geometrically nonlinear and electromechanical coupling effects is developed to evaluate the resistance of a deformed structure. Besides, a new connectivity control method is proposed to ensure the connectivity between the inlet and outlet by making full use of the electrical problem itself. To achieve the design goal of connected interconnect structures with negligible resistance fluctuation during stretching, a topology optimization formulation is established, and the corresponding sensitivity is also analytically derived. Several numerical examples show that the proposed method is capable of computationally and intelligently generating stretchable structures with extremely small variations in resistance during stretching.

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12202154, 51925503, and 12272076), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2022M711249). Also, we would like to thank Prof. Ole Sigmund from the Technical University of Denmark for repeated useful discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of MOE, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China

    Yunfeng Luo

  2. State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Yunfeng Luo, Shiyuan Qu & YongAn Huang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Structural Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China

    Shutian Liu

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  1. Yunfeng Luo
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Correspondence to YongAn Huang.

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Luo, Y., Qu, S., Liu, S. et al. Nonlinear electromechanical topology optimization method for stretchable electronic interconnect structures. Engineering with Computers 41, 117–133 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-024-01996-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00366-024-01996-y

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