Transparent electrodes that can maintain their electrical and optical properties stably against large mechanical deformations are essential in numerous applications of flexible and wearable electronics. In this paper, we report a comprehensive analysis of the electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of hybrid nanostructures based on graphene and metal nanotrough networks as stretchable and transparent electrodes. Compared to the single material of graphene or the nanotrough, the formation of this hybrid can improve the uniformity of sheet resistance significantly, that is, a very low sheet resistance (1 Ω/sq) with a standard deviation of less than ±0.1 Ω/sq, high transparency (91% in the visible light regime), and superb stretchability (80% in tensile strain). The successful demonstration of skin-attachable, flexible, and transparent arrays of oxide semiconductor transistors fabricated using hybrid electrodes suggests substantial promise for the next generation of electronic devices.
Inkjet-printed high speed polymeric complementary circuits are fabricated using an n-type ([poly{[N,N 0 ActivInk N2200] and two ptype polymers [poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and a dithiophenebased polymer (Polyera ActivInk P2100)]. The top-gate/bottomcontact (TG/BC) organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) exhibit well-balanced and very-high hole and electron mobilities (l FET ) of 0.2-0.5 cm 2 /Vs, which were enabled by optimization of the inkjetprinted active features, small contact resistance both of electron and hole injections, and effective control over gate dielectrics and its orthogonal solvent effect (selection of poly(methyl methacry-
We demonstrate a new patterning technique for gallium-based liquid metals on flat substrates, which can provide both high pattern resolution (∼20 μm) and alignment precision as required for highly integrated circuits. In a very similar manner as in the patterning of solid metal films by photolithography and lift-off processes, the liquid metal layer painted over the whole substrate area can be selectively removed by dissolving the underlying photoresist layer, leaving behind robust liquid patterns as defined by the photolithography. This quick and simple method makes it possible to integrate fine-scale interconnects with preformed devices precisely, which is indispensable for realizing monolithically integrated stretchable circuits. As a way for constructing stretchable integrated circuits, we propose a hybrid configuration composed of rigid device regions and liquid interconnects, which is constructed on a rigid substrate first but highly stretchable after being transferred onto an elastomeric substrate. This new method can be useful in various applications requiring both high-resolution and precisely aligned patterning of gallium-based liquid metals.
The authors report the effects of hydroxyl groups (OH bonds) on the electrical reliabilities of pentacene organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) with poly-4-vinylphenol (PVP) gate dielectrics. PVP gate dielectric films mixed with different concentrations of methylated poly(melamine-co-formaldehyde) (MMF) were fabricated, and experiments on the hysteresis behavior of the OTFT device were conducted. Pentacene TFTs with the PVP (MMF 0wt.%) exhibited a large hysteresis, while in the PVP (MMF 125wt.%), nearly no hysteresis was observed. Large hysteresis observed in OTFT devices was confirmed to be strongly related to the hydroxyl groups existing inside of the polymeric dielectrics and could reduced by the decrease of OH group.
Two dimensional (2D) semiconductors have attracted attention for a range of electronic applications, such as transparent, flexible field effect transistors and sensors owing to their good optical transparency and mechanical flexibility. Efforts to exploit 2D semiconductors in electronics are hampered, however, by the lack of efficient methods for their synthesis at levels of quality, uniformity, and reliability needed for practical applications. Here, as an alternative 2D semiconductor, we study single crystal Si nanomembranes (NMs), formed in large area sheets with precisely defined thicknesses ranging from 1.4 to 10 nm. These Si NMs exhibit electronic properties of two-dimensional quantum wells and offer exceptionally high optical transparency and low flexural rigidity. Deterministic assembly techniques allow integration of these materials into unusual device architectures, including field effect transistors with total thicknesses of less than 12 nm, for potential use in transparent, flexible, and stretchable forms of electronics.
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