Metal Oxide Thin-Film Electronics

Metal oxides are ubiquitous in modern-day electronics with their applications extending across energy, lighting, information displays and biosensors, to human-machine interface technologies. One area where metal oxides have played a pivotal role is the flat panel display industry. Their ability to deliver reliable thin film transistor (TFT) arrays over large-area substrates with improved performance, has catapulted semiconducting metal oxides from a scientific curiosity in the early 2000s to an enabling technology for large-volume electronics. Recently, the demonstration of oxide-based resistive random-access memory devices has further extended the application of this intriguing class of materials to memory and neuromorphic computing applications, creating exciting new avenues of research.

To date, metal oxides are recognized as a transformative technology which in addition to their technical characteristics, possess numerous other attractive features particularly relevant in today's fast paced high-tech world. Optical transparency and the eco-friendly nature of many metal oxides and the compatibility with low carbon footprint manufacturing techniques, are a few additional attributes making these compounds standout from competing technologies. Particularly, the need for greener, circular electronics becomes increasingly pressing considering the adverse human and environmental effects that electronic waste is creating. This Special Topic aims to consolidate recent advances in metal oxide thin-film electronics including new functional materials and innovative manufacturing processes to advance devices concepts and applications.

Guest Editors: Thomas D. Anthopoulos, Jen-Sue Chen, and Antonio Facchetti