A Universal Method for High‐Efficiency Immobilization of Semiconducting Carbon Nanotubes toward Fully Printed Paper‐Based Electronics

Abstract

Semiconducting single‐walled carbon nanotubes (sc‐SWCNTs) are promising candidates for constructing high‐performance fully printed flexible thin film transistors (TFTs) and circuits. How to achieve highly dense and uniform SWCNT thin films on different substrates has become a key scientific issue for printed flexible carbon‐based electronics. In this work, a universal method to efficiently immobilize conjugated polymer‐sorted sc‐SWCNTs on different substrates using solution‐processable SiO2 thin film as the adhesion layer is developed. Fully printed top‐gate SWCNT TFTs are successfully constructed by combining aerosol jet and inkjet printing using silver electrodes and ionic liquid‐cross‐linkable‐poly(4‐vinylphenol) as metal contact electrodes and dielectrics, respectively. Consequently, the fully printed paper‐based SWCNT TFTs represent extraordinary mechanical flexibility and good electrical properties with high on/off ratio (higher than 105), small subthreshold swing (≈70 mV dec−1), and small hysteresis, as well as high carrier mobility (up to 10.8 cm2 V−1 s−1) at low gate voltages (±1 V). In addition, the resistor‐loaded fully printed paper‐based inverters are also achieved using printed carbon nanotube conductive lines as the loaded resistors, exhibiting relatively large gains (16 at VDD of 1 V) and excellent mechanical flexibility. This work represents an encouraging advancement toward the practical applications of SWCNTs for high‐performance, low‐cost, and eco‐friendly paper‐based electronics.

Selective Purity Modulation of Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Networks for High-Performance Thin-Film Transistors

“…In recent years, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) networks have drawn significant interest in both industry and academia for their impressive mechanical, electrical, optical, and thermal properties. − In particular, their customized processability, − superior electrical charge carrier mobility, , and low Schottky barrier (SB) with metal electrodes − are the most favorable for transistors for next-generation electronics. However, metallic SWCNTs (M-CNTs) randomly distributed in as-grown SWCNT networks form leakage paths while boosting the carrier mobility, creating a strong and long-standing trade-off between the carrier mobility and on/off ratio. , In this regard, many efforts have been made to completely eliminate M-CNTs from channels via sorting methods such as density gradient ultracentrifugation, gel chromatography, DNA wrapping, dielectrophoresis, and conjugated polymer wrapping .…”

Large area roll-to-roll printed semiconducting carbon nanotube thin films for flexible carbon-based electronics

“…12 Solutionprocessable semiconductor materials in the forms of organic compounds, 3,[13][14][15][16] graphene, [17][18][19][20][21][22] carbon nanotubes, and oxides 23,24 have been developed to be compatible with current printing techniques. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31] Among them, semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sc-SWCNTs) are a promising candidate for high-performance flexible printed electronics due to their high carrier mobility, excellent chemical stability, mechanical stability, and compatibility with solution-based printing processes. Printed TFTs based on sc-SWCNTs have attracted much attention in the past few decades and have proven to be the fundamental components of [32][33][34] logic circuits, sensors, 29,[35][36][37][38] and displays.…”

Fabrication and electrical properties of printed three-dimensional integrated carbon nanotube PMOS inverters on flexible substrates

“…Notably, printed thin film transistors (TFTs) have been recognized as one of the most basic and indispensable units of printed electronics. 27,28 It is known that the kind of channel material dominates the printed TFTs performance during the manufacturing process. 29 Organic semiconductors, metal oxide semiconductors, carbon nanotubes, etc., are common channel materials.…”