Recent advances in printable carbon nanotube transistors for large-area active matrices

Abstract

Active-matrices serve as the backplane circuitry for large-area display technologies and distributed sensors. Recently, there has been significant interest in developing flexible, additively manufactured active matrices for the burgeoning flexible electronics industry. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are prime candidate materials for semiconducting elements of transistors due to their solution processability, carrier mobility, and mechanical flexibility. There have been many recent accomplishments in the development of CNT inks and in their deposition via printing that enable their use in thin-film transistors (TFTs), and their appropriate performance make them suitable for use in large-area active matrices. In this review, we provide an overview of the field, with a specific focus on recent advancements in CNT sorting, ink preparation, and printing techniques. We also provide a benchmarking study of printed CNT devices presented in literature after 2017. Next, we discuss printable CNT-TFTs used for active-matrix applications. Finally, we provide a concluding perspective on the outlook and challenges for printed CNT-TFT active matrices.

Keywords

• active matrices
• carbon nanotubes
• thin-film transistors
• flexible electronics
• printed electronics