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JANUARY 2026 I I-CONNECT007 MAGAZINE 69 It should not be forgotten that flex circuits can be designed using automated, high-precision fab- rication processes such as photolithography, addi- tive printing, or laser ablation. These processes offer high repeatability and allow for the rapid pro- duction of customized designs, even in low-vol- ume or prototype settings, and AI is making steady headway in helping to make it possible. Conclusion Flexible circuits are not just an alternative to rigid PCBs; they are increasingly shifting product devel- opers' thoughts as to how electronics are designed, assembled, and integrated into the physical world. The flexible circuit's ability to enhance electrical per- formance, increase reliability, enable miniaturiza- tion, and improve system integration at one time has resulted in flexible circuit assembly becoming a cornerstone of design in today's high-performance electronics. With the continued push toward greater mobility, adaptability, and intelligence in electronic products, flexible circuits will certainly play a more central, and arguably, an ever-growing role in deliv- ering the performance gains that future generation products demand. PCB007 It is now up to the reader to deliver on the promise and make it happen. Joe Fjelstad is founder and CEO of Verdant Electron- ics and an international authority and innovator in the field of electronic inter- connection and packaging technologies with more than 185 patents issued or pending. To read past col- umns or contact Fjelstad, click here. Download your free copy of Fjelstad's book Flexible Circuit Tech- nology, 4th Edition, and watch his in-depth work- shop series "Flexible Circuit Technology." Quantum Sensing: Four Bars on Mars Quantum sensing uses quantum phenomena to detect extremely subtle signals or changes that are beyond the reach of many traditional sensors. At the Department of Energy's SLAC National Acceler- ator Laboratory, researchers use superconducting qubits and other quantum sensors to measure these signals with extraordinary sensitivity. These sensors can detect single particles or faint cosmic signals with extreme precision to advance particle physics and explore the universe's mysteries. Some existing dark matter experiments leverage quantum sensors to pick up extraordinarily small signals. For example, the Axion Dark Matter eXperi- ment (ADMX) uses a radio sensitive enough to pick up four bars of cell phone reception on Mars, all thanks to the use of quantum amplifiers. The ampli- fiers must be operated in an ultra-cold environment with shielding from magnetic fields to ensure robust performance and minimal added noise to the signal. A related effort, the Dark Matter Radio project led by SLAC and Stanford, looks for similar signals at lower frequencies, targeting lighter forms of dark matter. While ADMX focuses on one part of the spectrum, Dark Matter Radio explores another, covering a wider range of possibilities in the search for dark matter. SLAC researchers build and use quantum sen- sors to search for dark matter particles and neutrino interactions, and to study the cosmic microwave background, the oldest light in the universe. SLAC, in collaboration with Q-NEXT—a DOE National Quantum Information Science Research Center—and other partners, is advancing the SLAC Superconducting Quantum Foundry (SSQF), which includes facilities such as Nano-X—a cleanroom for nanoscale fabrication—and the Detector Microfabri- cation Facility (DMF). The DMF, specializing in high- precision fabrication of superconducting quan- tum devices, will play a crucial role in developing advanced quantum sensors. Source: SLAC