Fine patterning method for silver nanoparticle electrodes using differential hydrophobic and hydrophilic surface properties

Abstract

Using a simple spin-coating process, we have demonstrated a fine patterning method for silver nanoparticle ink by combining hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrate surface properties. The hydrophobic/hydrophilic treated areas were precisely formed on a glass substrate by employing a hydrophobic photoresist and a hydrophilic polymer with a conventional photolithographic patterning process. Using this technique, fine silver electrodes with spaces of 5 µm were successfully formed. We applied this method to the short-channel source/drain electrodes in organic thin-film transistor (TFT) devices and succeeded in fabricating a TFT electrode array with a resolution of 100 ppi. The short-channel pentacene TFT with silver nanoparticle electrodes showed good electrical characteristics with high yields and no hysteresis.