Controlling the Dirac point of graphene is essential for complementary circuits. Here, we describe the use of 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-benzoimidazole (o-MeO-DMBI) as a strong n-type dopant for chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) grown graphene. The Dirac point of graphene can be tuned significantly by spin-coating o-MeO-DMBI solutions on the graphene sheets at different concentrations. The transport of graphene can be changed from p-type to ambipolar and finally n-type. The electron transfer between o-MeO-DMBI and graphene was additionally confirmed by Raman imaging and photoemission spectroscopy (PES) measurements. Finally, we fabricated a complementary inverter via inkjet printing patterning of o-MeO-DMBI solutions on graphene to demonstrate the potential of o-MeO-DMBI n-type doping on graphene for future applications in electrical devices.

This review article introduces the recent advances in the development of oxide semiconductor materials based on solution processes and their potential applications. In the early stage, thin film transistors based on oxide semiconductors fabricated by solution processes used to face critical problems such as high annealing temperatures (>400 °C) required to obtain reasonable film quality, and the relatively low field effect mobility (<5 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ) compared to devices fabricated by conventional vacuum-based techniques. In order to overcome such hurdles, the proper selection of high mobility amorphous oxide semiconductor materials is addressed first. The latter involves the combination of high mobility compounds and multilayered active stacks. Ensuing overviews are provided on the selection of optimum precursors and alternative annealing methods that enable the growth of high quality films at relatively low process temperatures (<200 °C). Reasonably high field effect mobility values (~10 cm 2 V −1 s −1 ) could thus be obtained by optimizing the above process parameters. Finally, potential applications of solution processed oxide semiconductor devices are summarized, involving, for instance, flexible displays, biosensors, and non-volatile memory devices. As such, further innovations in the solution process methods of oxide semiconductor devices are anticipated to allow the realization of cost effective, large area electronics in the near future.

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Graphene, laterally confined within narrow ribbons, exhibits a bandgap and is envisioned as a next-generation material for high-performance electronics. To take advantage of this phenomenon, there is a critical need to develop methodologies that result in graphene ribbons o10 nm in width. Here we report the use of metal salts infused within stretched DNA as catalysts to grow nanoscopic graphitic nanoribbons. The nanoribbons are termed graphitic as they have been determined to consist of regions of sp 2 and sp 3 character. The nanoscopic graphitic nanoribbons are micrometres in length, o10 nm in width, and take on the shape of the DNA template. The DNA strand is converted to a graphitic nanoribbon by utilizing chemical vapour deposition conditions. Depending on the growth conditions, metallic or semiconducting graphitic nanoribbons are formed. Improvements in the growth method have potential to lead to bottom-up synthesis of pristine single-layer graphene nanoribbons.