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Flexible, Print-in-Place 1D-2D Thin-Film Transistors Using Aerosol Jet Printing

Shiheng Lu, Jorge A Cardenas, Robyn Worsley, Nicholas X Williams, Joseph B Andrews, Cinzia Casiraghi, Aaron D Franklin

ACS Nano. 2019 Oct 22;13(10):11263-11272.

PMID: 31578857

Abstract:

Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) printed into thin films offer high electrical performance, significant mechanical stability, and compatibility with low-temperature processing. Yet, the implementation of low-temperature printed devices, such as CNT thin-film transistors (CNT-TFTs), has been hindered by relatively high process temperature requirements imposed by other device layers-dielectrics and contacts. In this work, we overcome temperature constraints and demonstrate 1D-2D thin-film transistors (1D-2D TFTs) in a low-temperature (maximum exposure ≤80 °C) full print-in-place process (i.e., no substrate removal from printer throughout the entire process) using an aerosol jet printer. Semiconducting 1D CNT channels are used with a 2D hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) gate dielectric and traces of silver nanowires as the conductive electrodes, all deposited using the same printer. The aerosol jet-printed 2D h-BN films were realized via proper ink formulation, such as utilizing the binder hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, which suppresses redispersion between adjacent printed layers. In addition to an ON/OFF current ratio up to 3.5 × 105, channel mobility up to 10.7 cm2·V-1·s-1, and low gate hysteresis, 1D-2D TFTs exhibit extraordinary mechanical stability under bending due to the nanoscale network structure of each layer, with minimal changes in performance after 1000 bending test cycles at 2.1% strain. It is also confirmed that none of the device layers require high-temperature treatment to realize optimal performance. These findings provide an attractive approach toward a cost-effective, direct-write realization of electronics.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number Product Name Structure CAS Number Price
AP10043115-A Hexagonal boron nitride ink Hexagonal boron nitride ink 10043-11-5 Price
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