Printing Transistors on Flexible Substrates

(EMPA, September 10, 2020)

A new revolution in the production of electronic circuits is on the way to accommodate the growing demand for cheap and easy to manufacture circuits that are realizable on thin and flexible substrates. In this context, Empa researchers Jakob Heier and Yaroslav Romanyuk, together with their teams and other colleagues from the Paul Scherrer Institut and EPFL, are working on the Functional OXIdes Printed on Polymers and Paper (“FOXIP”) research project, which aims to print thin-film transistors on paper and PET films. To do this, the researchers are focusing on solving several key challenges, such as optimizing of the substrate itself, perfecting the composition of the ink and the accuracy of the printing technology, and ensuring that the paper or film does not get damaged during the thermal curing of the layers.