The 15th Global Conference on Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE 2026)

Abstract: The transition of flexible electronics from laboratory prototypes to foundry-enabled integrated-circuit platforms changes the design questions for circuit designers. Demonstrating that thin-film transistors can implement a function is only one part of the task. Designers must also determine how to build useful systems when device polarity, gain, speed, variability, environmental sensitivity, and model maturity differ fundamentally from those of silicon. This contribution presents a microelectronic designer’s perspective on commercially accessible IGZO n-type TFT technologies, supported by recent circuit and system demonstrations.
Three examples illustrate the design space. An ultra-low-power wake-up timer uses transistor leakage as part of its operation. It generates a mean signal frequency of 0.24 Hz while consuming 26.7 nW. An n-FET-only operational amplifier demonstrates low-frequency analog signal processing with a power consumption below 33 µW. A flexible low-dropout regulator operates with approximately 1 µA quiescent current. It was used to power the 1.3 V rail of a solar-powered sensing node for 5.57 h.
Together, these results show that flexible technologies can support timing, analog signal conditioning, and power management. They also reveal constraints that cannot be predicted from nominal device performance alone. These include chip-to-chip dispersion, limited voltage headroom, and sensitivity to temperature and light. Long-term drift and differences between compact-model predictions and measurements must also be considered.
The presentation will discuss the resulting design methodology. Functions should be selected according to the capabilities of the technology, and the device physics should be used where it provides a circuit-level advantage. Designs also require validation across multiple samples and under realistic operating conditions. In addition, performance should be evaluated at the level of the complete hybrid system. The presentation will also consider sustainability. Commercial availability makes environmental claims easier to test, but it does not demonstrate an environmental benefit by itself. Such benefits require function-based evidence supported by life-cycle analysis.

Keywords: Flexible integrated circuits, IGZO transistors, circuit design, low-power electronics, power management
Acknowledgements: JDP acknowledges the sponsorship of the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship of the Humboldt Foundation and the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Germany).

Biography: Dr. Oscar Alonso Casanovas is an Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona, where he received his PhD in Engineering and Advanced Technologies in 2012 with cum laude distinction and the Extraordinary Doctorate Award. His research focuses on integrated-circuit and sensor-readout design across semiconductor technologies, including detector instrumentation, SPAD-based CMOS and mixed-signal ASICs, ultra-low-power circuits for IoT systems, X-ray inspection electronics, and oxide and flexible TFT platforms. His work aims to translate circuit concepts into validated prototypes with measurable system performance. He has co-authored 49 peer-reviewed journal articles and contributed to 146 international conferences. He has led European, national, and regional research projects and is also co-founder of EndoAsic Technologies, a spin-off company developing integrated circuits for medical endoscopy.