Flexible microstructured and textured metamaterials
This invention disclosure addresses the fabrication of deformable microstructured and textured sheets of transparent materials such as glass. The flexible structures have islands of arbitrary geometrical shapes interconnected by springs. Structuring is performed using ultrafast laser pulses and specially designed post-processing. The fabrication process does not create any cracks perpendicular to the cut lines, and therefore, resulting deformable structures are capable of sustaining static and cyclic in-plane tensile and compressive forces, bending moments and twisting torques. Flexible structures of this invention, fabricated using thin sheets of glass, can deform to complex surfaces through stretching, compression and folding in all directions.
1. A flexible substrate, comprising:
a sheet of a substantially rigid material;
an array of substantially rigid islands interconnected by a plurality of connectors defined by cut out and removed regions within said sheet of said substantially rigid material;
said plurality of connectors being dimensioned by said cut out and removed regions to give resiliency to said plurality of connectors; and
said array of substantially rigid islands and said plurality of resilient connectors being formed from said sheet of substantially rigid material to provide the flexible substrate.
2. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said substantially rigid islands is adapted to receive an electrical component.
3. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of resilient connectors includes a curved connector.
4. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of resilient connectors comprise at least a one hundred and eighty degree curve.
5. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of resilient connectors are sufficiently thin to enable said plurality of resilient connectors to act as springs.
6. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein each of said substantially resilient connectors is adapted to receive an electrical connector.
7. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said single sheet of material is a brittle material selected from the group consisting of a sheet of glass.
8. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , including a polymeric encapsulation surrounding said flexible substrate.
9. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
said array of substantially rigid islands includes sensors; and
said array of substantially rigid islands forming a three dimensional touch screen upon flexing of said flexible substrate.
10. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 1 , wherein
a set of said array of said islands form a cell of a Braille notation; and
a plurality of magnets cooperating with said set of said array of said islands to raise and lower selective rigid islands to form raised dots of the Braille notation.
11. A flexible electrical device, comprising:
a sheet of a substantially rigid material;
an array of substantially rigid islands interconnected by a plurality of connectors defined by cut out and removed regions within said sheet of said substantially rigid material;
said array of substantially rigid islands receiving an electrical component;
said plurality of connectors being dimensioned by said cut out and removed regions to give resiliency to said plurality of connectors;
a plurality of resilient electrical connectors located on said plurality of connectors and interconnecting said electrical component;
said array of substantially rigid islands and said plurality of resilient connectors affording flexibility to said entire sheet of said substantially rigid material to provide the flexible substrate.
12. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said electrical component are integrated circuits.
13. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said electrical component is a sensor.
14. The flexible substrate as set forth in claim 11 , wherein said electrical component is a power supply.
15. A flexible electrical device, comprising:
a sheet of glass;
an array of substantially rigid glass islands interconnected by a plurality of glass connectors defined by cut out and removed regions within said sheet of glass;
said array of substantially rigid glass islands receiving an electrical component;
said plurality of glass connectors being dimensioned by said cut out and removed regions of said glass to give resiliency to said plurality of glass connectors;
a plurality of resilient electrical connectors located on said plurality of glass connectors and interconnecting said electrical component;
said array of substantially rigid glass islands and said plurality of resilient glass connectors creating flexibility to said entire sheet of said glass to provide the flexible substrate.