IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics - J-FLEX

03/29/2025

The latest issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 12) was just released!

This covers a Cross Society Special Issue (IFETC & ISCAS) on Flexible Hybrid Electronics: Advancing Next-Generation Applications. This Special Issue showcases pioneering research in flexible circuit designs, with a focus on thin-film transistors and printed materials tailored for thermal and microwave applications. The following articles exemplify the innovative strides being made in this field.

In Zhang et al. introduce a bidirectional biomedical pixel interface circuit based on low-temperature polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (LTPS-TFTs), designed specifically for large-area medical applications. Key performance metrics include a 40-dB gain, an input noise of 86.2 µV/√Hz, and an effective number of bits (ENOB) of 9.13, with stability confirmed via statistical tests on 20 chips.

In Ranjan et al. delve into the design of low-power digital circuits using hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs), with an emphasis on unipolar TFT logic gates on flexible substrates. A 3-to-8 decoder—implemented on both glass and flexible substrates—demonstrates an average total power reduction of 46.5% across various operating conditions.

In Ersan et al. explore the fabrication of X-band (8–12 GHz) frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) on glass fiber fabrics using an optimized screen-printing process. The work focuses on how the size and morphology of conductive particles influence electromagnetic performance, offering critical insights into the design of high-performance FSS structures.

In Govind et al. investigate the development of graphene-based phase-change thermal interface nanocomposites and heat sinks to advance thermal management in integrated circuits (ICs). By integrating graphene into paraffin, the resulting nanocomposites exhibit markedly enhanced thermal conductivity.

About the Cover: This is a conceptual bandage-like wearable FHE sensing system, using advanced printing and thin silicon techniques. It will have printed sensors/sensor peripherals, as simple as temperature/EEG/ECG/EMG, glucose, lactate, biomarkers integrated with multiplexing circuitry and amplifier to perform readout and amplification. Also, printed super cap for power supply and printed antenna for RF communication. Ultra-thin and light FHE can achieve wear and forget; and provide continuous monitoring; and the whole system as indicated can be partially disposable and partially reusable.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

03/02/2025

The latest issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 11) was just released!

In this Special Issue, we celebrate the invention of the transistor, over 75 years ago, in 1947 by physicists John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley at AT&T Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey in USA [1-3], who all shared in the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics. This first working transistor, a point-contact transistor, is widely considered to have launched the modern-day electronics age. But even predating Bardeen, Brattain and Shockley, Julius Edgar Lilienfeld, recently immigrated to USA from what is now known as Lviv, Ukraine, to the Boston area of Massachusetts, proposed the concept of a field-effect transistor (FET) through a US patent application in 1926 [4], almost 100 years ago, although he never attempted to build a working prototype.

Today, the thin film transistor (TFT) has evolved from these discoveries to revolutionize the field of display technology, driving the extinction of cathode ray tube (CRT) and plasma displays. For every flat panel display commercially sold in retail stores now, whether a television, a computer monitor, a laptop, a tablet, or a phone, etc., each pixel is driven by a TFT to control greyscale and color. At the core, TFTs are deposited onto a substrate, any substrate, whether crystalline or amorphous, while still producing functional transistors, unlike advanced silicon CMOS for digital computing, high-speed III-V transistors for communications, or high-voltage wide bandgap transistors for the electrification of motors, where those classes of transistors are created by crystalline transistors atop crystalline substrates, often by epitaxy, keeping the deposited layers in registry with the crystalline substrate template. The advent of TFT technology, largely non-crystalline atop glass, has permitted electronics to permeate new vistas, particularly large area applications, like displays.

By unlocking a pathway for efficacious TFTs atop a range of substrates, this also provided a pathway for reduced temperature processing, allowing a range of softer and flexible substrates, like Corning’s Willow® glass and various plastics, to be accessed too. Thus, this Special Issue examines some key evolution within the flexible electronics community on transistors, including TFTs, but also the nascent organic bipolar transistor, which could be poised for great future impact.

So, it gives this Guest Editorial team great pleasure to introduce the following contributions to this very unique Special Issue on flexible electronics transistors during these key anniversary years.

About the Cover: The advent of thin-film transistors (TFT) began in earnest with its evolution from the first field-effect transistor proposed in a patent application in 1926 and the first working transistor, a point contact transistor, developed at AT&T Bell Labs in 1947. The image conveys a timeline from those nascent discoveries and inventions at the beginning of the 20th Century through to the end of the 20th Century, when flat-panel displays displaced bulky displays whereby TFTs were literally the driving force behind red–green–blue (RGB) pixelated displays. In the 21st Century, TFT evolution is now transforming these flat-panel displays into flexible displays and opening vistas for completely new use cases, like medical wearables in the form of electronic tattoos.

The Lilienfeld patent ( #1,745,175, filed on October 8, 1926) image was obtained from sources related to the www.uspto.gov website.
The AT&T Bell Labs point contact transistor image was obtained with permission from the Bell System Memorial website (https://memorial.bellsystem.com/) from their “History of the Transistor” section.

The cover art for this special issue was designed by Mr. Enrique Sahagún from Scixel.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IIEEE Sensors Council(SC), IIEEE Electron Devices Society(EDS), and IIEEE Circuits and Systems Society(CASS):

02/05/2025

Our J-FLEX Special Issue on Special Issue on the Social Impact of the Internet of Medical Things: From Body Wearables to Brain Implants is open for submission.

The Guest Editors are: Yuxin Liu (Lead, National University of Singapore); John Rogers (Northwestern University); Benjamin Tee (National University of Singapore); Damien Coyle (IEEE Brain, University of Bath); Ketra Schmitt (TTM EiC, Concordia College); Katina Michael (TTS EiC, Arizona State University); and Paul R. Berger (J-FLEX EiC, Ohio State/Tampere)

In a unique interdisciplinary collaboration with the IEEE’s Society on Social Implications of Technology (SSIT) and IEEE Brain, J-FLEX is joining forces to explore both the technology of the Internet-of-Medical-Things (IoMT) solutions and medical wearables/implantables. Articles on neurotechnologies and their societal implications will be published in J-FLEX, while articles on the broader social implications of neurotechnology, including opinion, commentary, and peer-reviewed articles, will appear in IEEE Technology and Society Magazine (TSM).

The scope of this Special J-FLEX Issue will focus upon system-level applications of IoT and medical wearables but will also welcome technical work that is a key facilitator of these system-level use cases.

Related to the synergy with SSIT, the J-FLEX articles should also address aspects of its carbon neutrality, biodegradability, toxicity, abundance of raw materials, data structures, privacy and surveillance, as well as risks, benefits, efficacy, costs and ease of use. Lastly, an emphasis on application areas where flexible electronics can transcend traditional rigid and bulky CMOS-centric systems.

https://ieee-jflex.org/
https://ieee-jflex.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IEEE_J-FLEX_SI_on_the_Social_Impact_of_Medical_Wearables.pdf

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society, and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

02/01/2025

The latest issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 10) was just released!

N. Kannan and N. Gupta present an examination of the current progress and future prospects in flexible silicon technology, paving the way for further advancements in this rapidly evolving field. This article explores various thinning techniques to fabricate flexible silicon wafers, methods for transferring silicon to flexible substrates, and the importance of enhancing silicon’s stretchability. Furthermore, it discusses the impact of flexible silicon on sectors such as biomedical sensing, electronics, and power systems, highlighting the role of the Internet of Things (IoT) platform in interconnecting devices.

M. Q. Mehmood et al. developed conductive yarn-based textile sensors for wearable multimode human-machine interfaces (HMIs), breathing, and walking pattern detection. The low-cost sewing process is used to develop interdigitated capacitive (IDC) sensor patterns on shirts, masks, and shoe soles using ultrafine highly conductive thread. The developed mask detects the breathing pattern of humans, whether it’s slow, normal, or fast. Shoe Insole developed sensors to see the walking pattern, either slow, normal, or running. Reported textile sensors are washable, flexible, stretchable, comfortable, and reusable, showing the practicality of proposed sensors for personalized healthcare, smart textiles, and electronic textiles (e-textiles).

M. H. P. Puthanveettil et al. show high-hole mobility tellurium nanowires are assembled using nonlinear ac dielectrophoresis to fabricate electrolyte-gated TFTs (EG-TFTs) on a flexible substrate at room temperature. These p-type flexible transistors exhibit an on-off ratio of 3.3×102, an ON-current density of 20 μA μm−1, a specific transconductance of 8.5 μS μm−1, and linear mobility of 20.6 cm2 V−1 s−1 with adequate mechanical strain tolerance.

About the Cover: This work developed conductive yarn-based washable textile sensors for wearable
applications. The low-cost and durable sewing process develops interdigitated capacitive (IDC) sensor patterns on shirts, masks, and shoe soles. Because of their high sensitivity, sensors differentiate different phases of change in physical conditions and respond accordingly. The beneficial features of textiles and biosensors in wearables unleash new opportunities for continuous medical monitoring, health management, and the acquisition of physiological data with the increasing demand for the washability and durability of sensors.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

12/18/2024

The latest issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 9) was just released!

S. Nuthalapati et al. present triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) for energy harvesters using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-based TENG. The TENG’s excellent performance was validated by the illumination of 30 blue and 120 red LEDs, as well as other portable electronic devices.

S. Ray and R. Panwar present a review article offers an extensive overview of polymer-constituted microwave-absorbing materials (M**s) and microwave-absorbing structures (MASs), highlighting their significance in modern electromagnetic interference (EMI) mitigation and stealth applications. In summary, this article is useful for researchers in designing and optimizing polymer-based M**s and MASs.

S. Ghosh and L. Rajan present a gate-all-around (GAA) cylindrical nanowire field-effect transistor (NWFET), concentrating on its ammonia (NH3) sensing performance for diagnostic purposes under room temperature (RT). The sensing behavior was enabled through modifications in molybdenum (Mo) and ruthenium (Ru) catalytic metal gate work functions depending on the concentration of NH3 arriving at the metallic surface with threshold voltage sensing responses ( SVTH ) of ~52.3% and ~34.4%, respectively, for Mo and Ru metallic gates under 1.04-ppm NH3 concentration at RT.

S. Palsaniya et al. show paper-based triboelectric generator development (TEG) with multifunctional capabilities. This study includes a detailed analysis of electron transfer mechanisms via energy band models in different environments, highlighting the solid ionic coupling effect on energy states and contact impedance.

About the Cover: The cover artwork represents the innovative landscape of polymer-constituted flexible microwave absorbers, highlighting the integration of unique design principles with cutting-edge technological advancements. The vibrant interplay of colors and intricate structures symbolizes the multifaceted approach to enhancing absorption efficiency, flexibility, and application versatility in microwave absorption and shielding. The cover art for this issue was designed by Mr. Enrique Sahagún from Scixel. See Ray, et al., “Advances in Polymer-Based Microwave Absorbers—From Design Principles to Technological Breakthroughs: A Review”, page 401.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

11/28/2024

IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) was recently announced as a “High Performer” again, with bibliometric data showing a 2024 Second Quarter Sub to Pub Report with Average Weeks Submitted to First Decision equal to 4.9 weeks and Average Weeks Submitted to Online Post equal to 9 weeks.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

11/23/2024

IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) just successfully completed its first IEEE Technical Activities Board's (TAB) Periodical Review and Advisory Committee (PRAC) Review, held in Dallas, Texas this morning.

J-FLEX is deemed a very successful journal, off to a great start.

As the Editor-in-Chief of J-FLEX, I want to thank our support staff, Heather Malloy and Mansi Kukurti, our Associate Editor-in-Chief, Luisa Petti, our amazing global Editorial and Guest Editorial teams, and most especially our J-FLEX assigned mentor, Peter Willet, and our financial sponsoring societies/councils, IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS).

11/16/2024

The latest issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 8) was just released!

G. Psaltakis et al. created a dataset for pattern recognition based on thousands of images of experimental current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of solution-processed, and thus printable, mixed halide perovskite memristors.

P. Ashok et al. synthesized VO2 on a flexible Kapton substrate using a low-temperature atmospheric thermal oxidation process. By coupling these flexible VO2 devices to a MOSFET, we demonstrate a steep switching phase-field effect transistor (Phase-FET) with a sub-Boltzmann subthreshold slope (SS) of 29 mV/decade at room temperature

M. Y. Abdelatty et al. studied how meshed ground planes affect the radio frequency (RF) performance of straight microstrip lines, demonstrating that the less-filled meshed ground samples are less susceptible to bending.

M. K. Yadav et al. report on a piezoelectric, flexible polymer sensor based on porous polyvinylideneflouride membrane, able to detect signals generated by finger tapping on various surfaces and when attached to the feet of a walker

About the Cover: Low-temperature atmospheric oxidation enables the synthesis of VO2 on flexible Kapton substrates, exhibiting a structural phase transition and reversible resistance-switching over three orders of magnitude. Integrating flexible VO2 resistors with MOSFETs overcomes the Boltzmann limit for switching, potentially enabling low-power flexible electronics. See “Flexible Vanadium Dioxide Films and Devices on Kapton Fabricated With Low-Temperature Atmospheric Oxidation of Vanadium”, p. 368.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

11/01/2024

For the first-time, in an effort to promote timeliness for authors contributing to the 2024 2024 IEEE International Flexible Electronics Technology Conference (IFETC), authors could either: (1) submit their traditional extended 3-page abstract to be considered for an oral/poster IFETC presentation, which is later published as-is in IEEE Xplore, or (2) submit a full 8-page manuscript to this IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) Pre-IFETC “Direct” special issue, which appears much earlier than a traditional post-conference special issue of “extended” papers, expanding from 3-page abstracts to 8-page manuscripts.

This special issue of the IEEE J-FLEX presents ten papers submitted directly to the journal prior to the 2024 IEEE International Flexible Electronics Technology Conference (IFETC) held at the DAMSLab at the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, from September 15 to 18, 2024.

Over three days, the IFETC 2024 featured a technical program of 37 invited talks, 57 contributed talks, and 48 poster presentations selected through a rigorous review process and covering a broad array of topics in flexible electronics over the 12 tracks: materials and manufacturing; energy harvesting and storage devices; imaging and lighting devices; sensors, biosensors, and actuators; biointerfaced, bioinspired, and neuromorphic electronics; transistors and circuits; simulation and modeling; reliability and lifetime; heterogeneous and hybrid integration; emerging applications and products; flexible and printable solutions in RFIDs and IoT; and sustainability and energy efficiency, and the four special sessions: biological and bioinspired smart materials; memristor technology: theory, design, and applications; printed biosensors and wearables for healthcare applications; and soft robotics meets soft electronics.

A special thanks to our guest editors, Gregory L. Whiting (lead), Niels Benson, Riccardo Colella, Luisa Petti and Almudena Rivadeneyra.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

08/22/2024

The IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) is proud to present the Special Section containing eight revised and extended versions of selected papers presented at the 5th IEEE International Flexible Electronics Technology Conference (IFETC) 2023 held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in San Jose, CA, USA during August 13–16, 2023.

About the Cover: Phillip Gonzales (West Coast Artworks; Hip Room) is a graphic designer born and raised in San Jose, California, or as the world now knows it, “Silicon Valley”. He was drawn to create original modern stylized art about his local hometown because he noticed how underrepresented this part of California was. The medium is digital art using graphic design software tools. He creates visual compositions of existing or once existing scenes or landscapes. Then, he uses software tools to get the desired aesthetic. Phil currently sells his work out of West Coast Artworks.

A special thanks to our guest editors, Samar Saha (lead), Tse Nga (Tina) Ng, Nazek El-Atab, Siddhartha Panda, Joseph Chang, Sanjiv Sambandan, Bikram Mahajan, Luca Catarinucci, Muhammad Mustafa Hussain.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

07/30/2024

Our Special Issue on Selected Papers from 2023 IEEE International Conference on Flexible Printable Sensors and Systems (FLEPS) issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 5) is now released!

This Special Issue showcases the expanded papers presented at the 2023 IEEE FLEPS), held in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The extended articles in this collection span materials and manufacturing methodologies, sensing applications, statistical methods and system-level integration.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

07/11/2024

In our Special Issue on Self-Powered Sensors and Wearable Electronic Systems issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 4), Dr. Jamal Deen’s team at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, provides a detailed and expansive review on the state-of-the-art of Smart Textiles. The comprehensive review shows that “the field of textile-based sensors for health management in smart homes is poised for substantial growth in the coming years, with the potential to revolutionize healthcare and enhance the quality of life for people”: “Smart Textiles to Enable In-Home Health Care: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives.” (https://doi.org/10.1109/JFLEX.2023.3339587)

IEEE J-FLEX details where lab curiosity meets with engineering possibilities.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

07/06/2024

Our Special Issue on Self-Powered Sensors and Wearable Electronic Systems issue of J-FLEX (Volume 3, Issue 4) is now released!

Wearable sensing is highly preferred due to its quick and accurate measurement of physiological parameters. For instance, Majumder et al., from Dr. Jamal Deen’s lab, highlights the possibilities through their article: “Smart Textiles to Enable In-Home Health Care: State of the Art, Challenges, and Future Perspectives.” (https://doi.org/10.1109/JFLEX.2023.3339587)

With the growing requirement for energy usage, self-powered sensing systems need to be developed to generate and harvest energy ubiquitous.

This Special Issue highlights some of the published papers that work on using smart textiles and self-powered devices for efficient and sustainable sensing applications.

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS):

04/17/2024

2024 IFETC (Bologna, Italy in Sepetember) is open for submissions

The IEEE IFETC 2024 is an international conference focusing on printed and flexible devices, materials, systems and related physics, bringing stakeholders from all ends of the value chain together, starting from basic science and ranging to application related research and development.

03/14/2024

Happy to introduce the publication of our latest issue of IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) (Volume 3, Issue 3).

https://ieee-jflex.org/

Featured on our J-FLEX cover : Dive into the intersection of materials science and biomedical engineering, exploring the revolutionary impact of dry electrodes in flexible electronics. This edition showcases the forefront of innovation in bio-signal sensing technology. See “Multiwall Carbon Nanotube/Polydimethylsiloxane Composites-Based Dry Electrodes for Bio-Signal Detection”, p. 108. Cover design by: Ishwar Sharda, Undergraduate first-year student, EEE, BITS-Pilani, Rajasthan.

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS).

02/22/2024

Submit your work to IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX)

https://ieee-jflex.org/

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS).

02/16/2024

Proud to support Green solutions through flexible electronics

IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics
Call for Papers
Special Issue on Circular, Sustainable, and Green Electronics
Due June 2024

https://lnkd.in/eZg9SQAC

The scope of this Special Journal Issue includes original manuscripts on functional and sustainable materials, fabrication strategies, electronic devices and applications, for environmentally friendly and recyclable electronics.

Giuseppe Cantarella, Sara Carniello, Clara Santato, Shree Prakash Tiwari

Authors are invited to submit papers on the theoretical, technological and experimental aspects concerning methods and approaches to minimize the use of toxicants and non-recyclable materials, energy-demanding protocols and electronics waste at the end of device lifecycle.

02/09/2024

Proud to introduce the publication of our latest issue of IEEE Journal on Flexible Electronics (J-FLEX) (Volume 3, Issue 2).

https://ieee-jflex.org/

Featured on our J-FLEX cover is a radiofrequency radiation pattern appearing over an antenna on a flexible printed circuit board. Image developed by Lautaro Petrauskas.

J-FLEX is a joint publication of IEEE Sensors Council (SC), IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CASS).