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11-11/12 :: November/December 2011
nanotimes Companies
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In this innovative study, the team made carbon na- notube thin-film transistors with high mobility and a high on–off ratio, completely based on ink-jet prin- ting. They demonstrated the first fully printed single- pixel OLED control circuits, and their fully printed thin-film circuits showed significant performance advantages over traditional organic-based printed electronics.
“This is the first practical demonstration of carbon nanotube–based printed circuits for display back- plane applications,” said Kos Galatsis, an associate adjunct professor of materials science at UCLA Engineering and a co-founder of Aneeve. “We have demonstrated carbon nanotubes‘ viable candidacy as a competing technology alongside amorphous silicon and metal-oxide semiconductor solution as a low- cost and scalable backplane option.”
This distinct process utilizes an ink-jet printing me- thod that eliminates the need for expensive vacuum equipment and lends itself to scalable manufacturing and roll-to-roll printing. The team solved many ma- terial integration problems, developed new cleaning processes and created new methods for negotiating nano-based ink solutions.
For active-matrix OLED applications, the printed car- bon nanotube transistors will be fully integrated with OLED arrays, the researchers said. The encapsulation
technology developed for OLEDs will also keep the carbon nanotube transistors well protected, as the organics in OLEDs are very sensitive to oxygen and moisture.