Using this technique, the research team –comprising the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics, NIMS and Colloidal Ink, along with independent scientist Takeo Minari – formed fully printed organic TFTs with a channel length of 1μm on flexible substrates and confirmed the TFTs operate at a practical level.
The first step is to form hydrophilic and hydrophobic micropatterns on the substrate, after which the hydrophilic patterns are coated with metal nanoparticle inks. The method is said to enable the gate overlap lengths of the printed TFTs to be tuned precisely; something the team said was impossible previously.
The organic TFTs created using this process are said to have a mobility of 0.3cm2V-1s-1 at a channel length of 10µm.
According to the researchers, future studies will aim to apply the technique in other areas, including large area flexible displays and sensors. The team adds that, as the process is applicable to bio-related materials, the technique may also be useful in medical and bioelectronics fields.