• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.335-339
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• 2023

Skin-compatible electronics have evolved to achieve both conformality and stretchability for stable contact with deformable biological skin. While existing research has largely concentrated on alternative materials, the potential of Parylene-based thin-film electrodes for stretchable on-skin applications remains relatively untapped. This study proposes an engineering strategy to achieve stretchability using the Parylene thin-film electrode. Unlike the conventional Parylene thin-film electrode, we introduce morphological adaptability via controlled microscale slits in the Parylene electrode structure. The slits-containing device enables unprecedented stretchability while maintaining critical electrical insulation properties during mechanical deformation. Finally, the demonstration on human skin shows the mechanical adaptability of these Parylene-based bioelectrodes while their electrical characteristics remain stable during various stretching conditions. Owing to the ultra-thinness of the Parylene coating, the wearable bioelectrode not only achieves stretchability but also conforms to the skin. Our findings broaden the practical use of Parylene thin-film bioelectrodes.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.298-308
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• 2010

The mechanical properties and surface characteristics of parylene thin film were improved using Xylydene-based dimers (DPX-C, DPX-D, and DPX-N). A single-parylene-C, D, N film and a hybrid chemical and physical parylene thin films in which two types are mixed were manufactured for each dimer by adjusting the deposition conditions and the thickness of the thin film by input. Parylene was deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and the thermal characteristics of the single thin film and the hybrid thin film were compared by thermal analysis. The mechanical properties of the thin films were characterized by tensile strength, elongation, and tear force tests, and the surface characteristics of the thin films were evaluated by contact angle and surface energy measurements. The hybrid chemical parylene thin film in which two types are mixed can complement the strengths and weaknesses of the different dimers, while the physical parylene thin film can freely adjust the thin film characteristics of the coated surface and the opposite surface.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.27-34
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• 2017

We investigated the feasibility of parylene F usage as an intermediate layer between a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate and an Au thin-film interconnect as well as the swelling effect of PDMS substrate on the stretchable deformability of an Au thin film. The 150-nm-thick Au film, which was sputtered on a PDMS substrate without a parylene F layer, exhibited an initial resistance of $11.7{\Omega}$ and an overflow of its resistance at a tensile strain of 12.5%. On the other hand, the Au film, which was formed with a 150-nm-thick parylene F layer, revealed an much improved resistance characteristics: $1.21{\Omega}$ as its initial resistance and $246{\Omega}$ at its 30% elongation state. With swelling of PDMS substrate, the resistance of an Au film substantially decreased to $14.4{\Omega}$ at 30% tensile strain.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.443-450
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• 2004

Parylene polymer thin film shows excellent homogeneous coverage chracteristics when it was deposited onto very complex three dimensional solid matters, such as deep hole and micro crack. The parylene deposition process can be conducted at room temperature although most of chemical vapor deposition processes request relatively high processing temperature. Therefore, the parylene coating process does not induce any thermal problems. Parylene thin film is transparent and has extremly high chemical stability. For example, it shows high chemical stability with high reactive chemical solutions such as strong acid, strong alkali and acetone. The bio-stability of this material gives good chances to use for a packaging of biomedical devices and electronic devices such as display. In this review article, principle of deposition process, properties and application fields of parylene polymer thin film are introduced.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.19-26
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• 2017

Stretchable deformation-resistance characteristics of Au, Pt, and Cu films were measured for the stretchable packaging structure where a parylene F was used as an intermediate layer between a PDMS substrate and a metal thin film. The 150 nm-thick Au and Pt films, sputtered on the parylene F-coated PDMS substrate, exhibited the initial resistances of $1.56{\Omega}$ and $5.53{\Omega}$, respectively. The resistance increase ratios at 30% tensile strain were measured as 7 and 18 for Au film and Pt film, respectively. The 150 nm-thick Cu film, sputtered on the parylene F-coated PDMS substrate, exhibited a very poor stretchability compared to Au and Pt films. Its resistance was initially $18.71{\Omega}$, rapidly increased with applying tensile deformation, and finally became open at 5% tensile strain.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.08a
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• pp.669-672
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• 2004

The thin-film passivation technology using the poly-para-xylylene (parylene) was applied to polymer electroluminescent devices. The fabricated device shows a good luminescent characteristic of maximum 11640 cd/$m^2$. The measured lifetime was reached up to 28 hours, which means the effectiveness of the passivation. Applying the parylene thin-film passivation technique, 10${\times}$10 passive matrix display system was implemented and obtained some still images.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.721-726
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• 2017

We fabricated stretchable thin-film transistors(TFTs) on a polydimethylsiloxane substrate with patterned polyimide island structures by using an amorphous InGaZnO semiconductor and parylene gate insulator. The TFTs exhibited a field- effect mobility of $5cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ and a current on/off ratio of $10^5$ at a relatively low operating voltage. Furthermore, the fabricated transistors showed no noticeable changes in their electrical performance for large strains of up to 50 %.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.78-85
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• 2012

In order to improve the adhesion between poly-monochloro-para-xylylene (Parylene-C) film and Aluminum thin film, the surface of Parylene-C film was irradiated by ${O_2}^+$ and $Ar^+$ ion beam generated by duoplamatron ion source. The ion dose of $Ar^+$ and ${O_2}^+$ was changed from $5{\times}10^{14}$ to $1{\times}10^{17}/cm^2$ and the ion beam energy was 1 kV. Contact angles of water on Parylene-C modified by $Ar^+$ and ${O_2}^+$ ion irradiation decreased from $78^{\circ}$ to around $17^{\circ}$, and $9^{\circ}$, respectively. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows that the hydrophilic groups were formed on the surface of Parylene-C by chemical reaction between the unstable chains induced by the ion irradiation and oxygen ions or residual oxygen gas. The hydrophilic groups were identified as C-O bond, C=O bond and (C=O)-O bond. The cross cut tape test which was applied to characterize the adhesion between Al thin film and Parylene-C film modified by ${O_2}^+$ ions irradiation shows that the adhesion strength was improved as increasing ion dose.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.504-505
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• 2005

In this report, we demonstrate a high performance polymer thin-film transistor fabricated on a paper substrate. As a water barrier layer, parylene was coated on the paper substrate by using vacuum deposition process. Using poly (3-hexylthiophene) as an active layer, a polymer thin-film transistor with field-effect of up to 0.086 $cm^2/V{\cdot}s$ and on/off ratio of $10^4$ was achieved. The fabrication of polymer thin-film transistor built on a cheap paper substrate is expected to open a channel for future applications in flexible and disposable electronics with extremely low-cost.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.750-753
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• 2002

The chemical vapor condensation process of Parylene-N thin films was investigated and applied to the passivation of the organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The effects of process variables on the deposition rate were studied, and it was found that the deposition rate of Parylene increases with increasing precursor sublimation temperature but decreases with increasing substrate temperature. The Parylene film was used as a passivation layer for OLEDs, and as a result, the lifetime of the passivated OLEDs was increased by a factor of about 2.3 compared with that of non-passivated OLEDs.