An 8-Bit, 40-Instructions-Per-Second Organic Microprocessor on Plastic Foil Kris Myny, Student Member , IEEE, Erik van V eenendaal, Gerwin H. Gelinck

Abstract

Forty years after the first silicon microproce ssors, we demonstrate an 8-bit microprocessor made from plastic electronic technology directly on flexible plastic foil. The operation speed is today limited to 40 instructions per second. The p ower consump- tion is as low as 100 W. The ALU-foil operates at a supply voltage of 10 V and back-gate voltage of 50 V. The microprocessor can execute user-de fined programs: we demonstrate t he execution of the multiplication of two 4-bit numbers and the calculation of the moving average of a string of inc oming 6-bit numbers. To execute such dedicated tasks on the microprocessor, we create small plastic circuits that generate the sequenc es of appropriate instructions. The near transparency, mechanical flexibility, and low power con- sumption of the processor are attractive features for integration on everyday objects, where it could be programmed as, amongst other items, a calculator, timer, or game controller.