3D Heterogeneous and Flexible Package Integration for Zero-Power Wireless Neural Recording

The goal of this research is to demonstrate heterogeneous flex package integration to enable a miniaturized zero-power wireless neural recording system. All the system components such as miniaturized antennas, passive multiplier, mixer and neural recording electrodes are integrated in a thin flexible package that can be directly interfaced with skin and is the size of a band-aid®. Miniaturized antennas are designed with a high-permittivity flexible substrate with a permittivity of 7 and low loss tangent. A microstrip patch antenna is realized with 13 mm x 8 mm dimension on flexible zirconia tapes. High-density circuitry is achieved with copper micropatterning and direct assembly of bare RFICs on flexible and biocompatible thin-film substrates. The key building blocks, system geometry and electrical performance are discussed.