Ink-jet printing is an important process for placing active electronics on plastic substrates. We demonstrate ink-jet printing as a viable method for large area fabrication of carbon nanotube (CNT) thin film transistors (TFTs). We investigate different routes for producing stable CNT solutions (“inks”). These consist of dispersion methods for CNT debundling and the use of different solvents, such as -methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The resulting printable inks are dispensed by ink-jet onto electrode bearing silicon substrates. The source to drain electrode gap is bridged by percolating networks of CNTs. Despite the presence of metallic CNTs, our devices exhibit field effect behavior, with effective mobility of and ON/OFF current ratio of up to 100. This result demonstrates the feasibility of ink-jet printing of nanostructured materials for TFT manufacture.
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15 August 2007
Research Article|
August 27 2007
Ink-jet printing of carbon nanotube thin film transistors
P. Beecher;
P. Beecher
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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P. Servati;
P. Servati
a)
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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A. Rozhin;
A. Rozhin
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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A. Colli;
A. Colli
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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V. Scardaci;
V. Scardaci
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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S. Pisana;
S. Pisana
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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T. Hasan;
T. Hasan
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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A. J. Flewitt;
A. J. Flewitt
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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J. Robertson;
J. Robertson
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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G. W. Hsieh;
G. W. Hsieh
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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F. M. Li;
F. M. Li
Electrical and Computer Engineering,
University of Waterloo
, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1, Canada
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A. Nathan;
A. Nathan
London Centre for Nanotechnology,
University College London
, London, WC1H 0AH, United Kingdom
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A. C. Ferrari;
A. C. Ferrari
b)
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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W. I. Milne
W. I. Milne
Department of Engineering,
University of Cambridge
, Cambridge, CB3 0FA, United Kingdom
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J. Appl. Phys. 102, 043710 (2007)
Article history
Received:
January 09 2007
Accepted:
July 10 2007
Citation
P. Beecher, P. Servati, A. Rozhin, A. Colli, V. Scardaci, S. Pisana, T. Hasan, A. J. Flewitt, J. Robertson, G. W. Hsieh, F. M. Li, A. Nathan, A. C. Ferrari, W. I. Milne; Ink-jet printing of carbon nanotube thin film transistors. J. Appl. Phys. 15 August 2007; 102 (4): 043710. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2770835
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