Researchers aim to print large areas of carbon nanotube
thin-film transistors on plastic surfaces to make flexible displays and sensor
networks.
Adapting conventional printing technology, researchers have
developed a way to rapidly and inexpensively make uniform arrays of high-performing
transistors out of carbon nanotubes on flexible plastic sheets. The process
could eventually lead to a tool for manufacturing large-area, low-power sensor
arrays and displays.
Thin-film transistors made from carbon nanotubes are
attractive for these types of applications because they are robust and
mechanically flexible, and they can be much more energy efficient than silicon
transistors. They can also be applied as a solution, or “ink,” and can be
processed at relatively low temperatures, making them compatible with plastic
substrates.