Flexible And Stretchable Photonics: The Next Stretch Of Opportunities

Conventional electronic and photonic devices are inherently 2D and rigid because of the substrates on which they are fabricated. However, the world is not flat and stiff: There are many applications that would benefit from soft devices and nonplanar geometries, such as interfacing with the soft, curvilinear, and dynamic surfaces of living organisms. This mismatch demands flexible and stretchable devices that can be mechanically deformed (bent, folded, twisted, stretched, or compressed) without damage to their useful properties. Here we furnish an overview of state-of-the-art material, design, processing, and device technologies underlying the rapidly evolving area of flexible and stretchable photonics. We further offer our perspective on the key enabling technologies that will define new growth opportunities in this field as emerging applications of flexible and stretchable photonics continue to unfold.