Abstract: The new structures of the flexible electronic components with high stretching ability have a great application potential for electronic systems as against the established wafer based technologies. The stretchable and flexible technologies offer the performance of conventional rigid devices, but with the ability to be stretched, compressed and bended, which might find important applications in the fields of health monitoring systems and epidermal electronics. The study of flexible circuits and their mechanical properties can improve the stretching ability of the systems. This paper reviews their structures and applications in systems ranging from the hemispherical electronic eye to the flexible solar panels, and analyses the mechanical properties of stretchable electronic components, and discusses some directions for further researches.

Key words: flexible electronics|applications of electronics|stretchable structure|stretching ability|mechanical models