ACM TechNews

First Paper-Based Transistors

ZDNet (07/22/08) Piquepaille, Roland

Portuguese researchers have created the first field-effect transistors (FET) with a paper interstrate layer. The researchers say the new transistors provide the same level of performance as state-of-the-art oxide-based thin-film transistors (TFTs) produced on glass or crystalline silicon substrates. These paper-based transistors could be used for new disposable electronic devices, such as paper displays, smart labels, bio-applications, or RFID tags. The transistors were developed at the Center of Materials Research at the Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal. The researchers say there is an increased interest in the use of biopolymers for low-cost electronic applications, and because Earth's major biopolymer is cellulose, several international teams have reported using paper as the substrate of electronic devices. However, this new paper-based transistor is the first time paper has been used as an interstrate component of a FET. To build a transistor using paper, the researchers fabricated the devices on both sides of a paper sheet, allowing the paper to act simultaneously as the electric insulator and as the substrate. Paper FETs outperformed amorphous silicon TFTs during testing, and rivaled TFTs.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/emergingtech/?p=987

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