Chapter 3 – Flex Circuit Drivers, Benefits & Applications
By Joseph Fjelstad

            The benefits of flexible circuits are plentiful and they have been put to use in solving difficult packaging problems in a multitude of applications over the years, proving their value and securing their role in the realm of electronic interconnections. Chapter 3 describes some of the many benefits of flex circuits including: reduced size, reduced weight, decreased assembly time, assembly error reduction, increased reliability and many more. Unique and enabling flex-based technologies are covered, such as chip on flex technologies, IC packaging interposers and stair step packaging.
This chapter presents novel, exciting applications of flex circuit technology used in everything from mobile phones to the International Space Station, including high-speed cable structures, sensors, solar cells, radio frequency identification (RFID), smart cards, groundbreaking medical products and volumetric system miniaturization and interconnection (VSMI) technology. To round out the chapter, trends for the future of flexible circuit technology are projected based on past and current patent activity.