Broadband Photodetectors and Imagers in Stretchable Electronics Packaging.

The integration of flexible electronics with optics can help realize a powerful tool that facilitates the creation of a smart society wherein internal evaluations can be easily performed nondestructively from the surface of various objects that we use or encounter in our daily lives. Here, we review organic material-based stretchable optical sensors and imagers that possess both bending capability and rubber-like elasticity. We discuss the latest trends in nondestructive evaluation equipment that enable simple on-site evaluations of health conditions and abnormalities without subjecting the targeted living bodies and various objects to mechanical stress. Real-time performance under real-life conditions is becoming increasingly important for creating smart societies interwoven with optical technologies. In particular, the terahertz (THz)-wave region offers a substance- and state-specific fingerprint spectrum that enables instantaneous analyses. However, to make THz sensors accessible, the following issues must be addressed: broadband and high-sensitivity at room temperature, stretchability to follow the surface movements of targets, and digital transformation compatibility. We discuss in detail the materials, electronics packaging, and remote imaging systems used to overcome these issues. Ultimately, stretchable optical sensors and imagers with highly-sensitive and broadband THz sensors can facilitate the multifaceted on-site evaluation of solids, liquids, and gases. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.