Stress relief encapsulation for flexible hybrid electronics

A method of forming a flexible electronic device, comprising:

• positioning a component on a substrate, wherein the substrate has a substrate flexural modulus;
• positioning a reinforcement layer between the component and the surface of the substrate, the reinforcement layer having a reinforcement flexural modulus that is greater than the substrate flexural modulus;
• forming at least one transition layer to the reinforcement layer, the at least one transition layer having a transition flexural modulus that is less than the reinforcement flexural modulus;
• and
• forming an outer layer to the at least one transition layer, the outer layer having an outer flexural modulus that is less than the transition flexural modulus.

A method of forming a flexible electronic device, comprising:

• positioning a component on a substrate, wherein the substrate has a substrate flexural modulus;
• forming a reinforcement layer between the component and the surface of the substrate, wherein the reinforcement layer has a reinforcement flexural modulus that is greater than the substrate flexural modulus;
• forming an encapsulate layer to the reinforcement layer, wherein the encapsulate layer has an encapsulate flexural modulus that is substantially equal to the substrate flexural modulus;
• curing a transition area of the encapsulate layer to have an average transition flexural modulus that is less than the reinforcement flexural modulus and greater than the encapsulate flexural modulus.