Invited Speakers

Thermally drawn advanced functional fibers for wearable electronics

Abstract

Thermally drawn multifunctional fibers have emerged as a new yet promising route to enable unprecedented development in information technology. By adopting the well-developed preform-to-fiber manufacturing technique, a broad range of functional materials can be seamlessly integrated into a single fiber at kilometer length to deliver sophisticated functions. Here, we present the recent development of thermally drawn advanced functional fibers, from the fundamentals to in-fiber device demonstration. Especially, the integration of semiconductor materials into fiber geometries provides a unique route to introduce new functionalities into the existing fiber technologies. Main fabrication approaches to produce these fibers are summarized. Also, prospects and applications of this new class of fibers are discussed.