A joint research succeeded in creating the world's fastest thin-film organic transistors. This new discovery proves that plastics and carbon-rich molecules can deliver a performance similar to silicon-based technology which is being used for high-end electronics nowadays.
These newly-created organic transistors can perform five times faster than the previous prototypes. Researchers from the University of Nebraska Lincoln (UNL) and Stanford University led by UNL assistant professor Jinsong Huang and Stanford professor Zhenan Bao produced these transistors using a new process.
To make the organic transistors work faster, the researchers utilized a new method called "off-center spinning coating." The typical way of creating such organic transistors begins with dropping a solution of carbon-rich molecules and the plastic onto the spinning platter. For this experimental design, the researchers used glass as their spinning platter. Spinning of the platter enables the thin coating of carbon-rich molecules and plastic to be deposited onto the surface of the platter.
They made two important additions to the process; first, they spun the platter at a faster rate and second, they reduced the surface area which was coated with the solution. For this experiment, they only coated an area whose size is similar to a postage stamp.
These changes allowed for the denser concentration of the carbon molecules and created a more regular alignment. The improvement in concentration and alignment resulted to a better carrier mobility, which refers to how fast the electrical charges move through the transistor.
At this stage, this experimental design has speed records far faster than earlier organic transistors. Further improvements to this technology may pave the way for cheaper electronics which can perform as fast and effective than silicon-based technologies. Furthermore, the researchers have demonstrated that they can create organic transistors which are 90 percent transparent to man's naked eye.
The study was published in Nature Communications.
