Ultra-thin transistors and circuits for conformable electronics

TL;DR

This paper presents a cost-effective, fully solution-based method for fabricating ultra-thin, conformable electronic devices and circuits using 2D materials, organic dielectrics, and inkjet-printed electrodes on flexible substrates.

Contribution

It introduces a novel hybrid approach combining 2D TMDCs, organic dielectrics, and inkjet printing to create high-performance, ultra-thin, flexible electronics suitable for conformable applications.

Findings

Successful fabrication of transistors and circuits on micron-thick substrates

Demonstration of high flexibility and conformability of devices

Potential for applications in wearable and biomedical electronics

Abstract

Adapting electronics to perfectly conform to non-planar and rough surfaces, such as human skin, is a very challenging task which, if solved, could open up new applications in fields of high economic and scientific interest ranging from health to robotics, wearable electronics, human machine interface and Internet of Things. The key to success lies in defining a technology that can lead to the fabrication of ultra-thin devices while exploiting materials that are ultimately thin, with high mechanical flexibility and excellent electrical properties. Here, we report a hybrid approach for the definition of high-performance, ultra-thin and conformable electronic devices and circuits, based on the integration of ultimately thin semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC), i.e., MoS2, with organic gate dielectric material, i.e., polyvinyl formal (PVF) combined with the ink-jet printing of conductive PEDOT:PSS ink for electrodes definition. Through this cost-effective, fully bottom-up and solution-based approach, transistors and simple digital and analogue circuits are fabricated by a sequential stacking of ultrathin (nanometer) layers on a few micron thick polyimide substrate, which guarantees the high flexibility mandatory for the targeted applications.