Non-volatile Memory Devices and Integrated Sensors for Multifunctional Stretchable and Bioresorbable Electronics

Abstract

Over years, major advances in healthcare have been made through research in the fields of nanomaterials and microelectronics technologies. However, the mechanical and geometrical constraints inherent in the standard forms of rigid electronics have imposed challanges of unique integration and therapeutic delivery in non-invasive and minimally invasive medical devices. Here, we describe two types of multifunctional electronic systems. The first type is wearable-on-the-skin systems that address the challenges via monolithic integration of nanomembranes fabricated by top-down approach, nanotubes and nanoparticles assembled by bottom-up strategies, and stretchable electronics on tissue-like polymeric substrate. The system consists of physiological sensors, non-volatile memory, logic gates, and drug-release actuators. Some quantitative analyses on the operation of each electronics, mechanics, heat-transfer, and drug-diffusion characteristic validated their system-level multi-functionalities. The second type is a bioresorbable electronic stent with drug-infused functionalized nanoparticles that takes flow sensing, temperature monitoring, data storage, wireless power/data transmission, inflammation suppression, localized drug delivery, and photothermal therapy. In vivo and ex vivo animal experiments as well as in vitro cell researches demonstrate its unrecognized potential for bioresorbable electronic implants coupled with bioinert therapeutic nanoparticles in the endovascular system. As demonstrations of these technologies, we herein highlight two representative examples of multifunctional systems in order of increasing degree of invasiveness: electronically enabled wearable patch and endovascular electronic stent that incorporate onboard physiological monitoring, data storage, and therapy under moist and mechanically rigorous conditions.