Engineering Center "Flexible Printed Electronics and Photonics" is being established at Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University (LETI) for rapid prototyping and small-batch production of micro-technology products based on the modular principle of organizing robotic technological lines, allowing for the manufacture of a wide range of ultra-miniature 2D and 3D integrated systems combining electronic, optical, and mechanical components.
The basis for establishing the engineering center at LETI is a set of works performed by the electrotechnical university in current areas of flexible electronics and photonics [1] during the development of modern micro-technology, including:
- creation of basic passive components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, antennas) for radio systems on flexible and rigid 2D and 3D substrates using printed electronics methods;
- mounting and assembly of miniature radio-technical modules for sensor-information networks with a radio channel using hybrid and conformal integration methods on flexible and rigid 2D and 3D substrates;
- development of flexible and conformal power sources for miniature sensor-information modules;
- development of technology for sensor-information and power-supply modules integrated into textiles.
With the direct participation of LETI, a project was implemented to create a cluster of flexible printed electronics and photonics [2], integrating a complex of inkjet, laser-printer, aerosol, and 2D and 3D micro-assembly technologies. This cluster reflects modern trends in mechanical engineering development focused on flexible, cost-effective, rapidly reconfigurable production — "desktop micro-factories."
Since 2013, the Russian Scientific and Technical Conference with international participation and the "Flexible Electronics" Youth Science School have been held annually at LETI.