Patterning organic–inorganic thin-film transistors using microcontact printed templates

Abstract

We report the simple, low-cost, and parallel fabrication of patterned organic–inorganic thin-film transistors (TFTs) by microcontact printing a molecular template on the substrate surface prior to film deposition. We printed molecules with hydrophobic tail groups on the gate oxide surfaces of TFTs to chemically, differentiate the substrate surface and confine the self-assembly of thin films, deposited from solutions flooded across the entire surface, to the transistor channels. TFTs are fabricated with good device characteristics and no current leakage. This process is more general to the patterning of other solution-deposited thin-film materials.

Plastic electronic devices: From materials design to device applications

“…For example, microcontact printing may provide sufficient resolution and registry for large-area circuits. High/low energy surface patterns have been used to define the placement of perovskite semiconductor islands deposited from a flooding methanol solution [43]. Predefined surface energy contrast has also been employed to define the widths of lines of conducting polymers delivered via inkjet printing of aqueous solutions [11,91].…”

Controlled Deposition of Crystalline Organic Semiconductors for Field‐Effect‐Transistor Applications

“…In the past few years, a variety of materials, such as inorganic single crystals, [76] organic-inorganic hybrid materials, [77] conjugated polymers, [28,78,79] and oligomers, [28,80] have been successfully patterned via solution-processing using self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) as templates. Recently, it has been demonstrated that SAMs can also function as templates for patterning organic semiconductor single crystals, by serving as selective nucleation sites [81] or (de)wetting patterns.…”

Fabrication of Transistors on Flexible Substrates: from Mass‐Printing to High‐Resolution Alternative Lithography Strategies

“…[ 110 , 111 ] In a wetting-controlled, parallel, lowtemperature process, although only demonstrated on Si wafer, μ CP was used to pattern a "molecular template" on the substrate directing thin fi lms by spincoating into the desired pattern to fabricate TFTs. [ 112 ] Contact printed, organic active matrix backplanes on 5 × 5-inch PET sheets, with 10 μ m wide and 20 μ m spaced source and drain electrodes forming bottom-contact transistors, have been demonstrated as well ( Figure 5 ). [ 113 ] …”