Advances in Materials for Printed Transistors

Printed thin-film transistors (TFTs) have received profound interests as an alternative to their silicon counterparts for use in fabricating next-Gen microelectronics by virtue of projected low manufacturing cost and certain salient features (e.g., thin and lightweight characteristics, structural flexibility, etc.) that printed TFTs bring to device architecture. The economic advantages stem from engaging low-cost printing techniques (e.g., screen printing, gravure, flexography, etc.) for deposition and patterning in place of traditionally costly high-vacuum, high-temperature photolithographic processes. To render printing TFTs possible, solution processable materials are necessary.