Ion-modulated transistors on paper using phase-separated semiconductor/insulator blends

Abstract

We have used phase-separated poly(3-hexyltiophene) (P3HT)/poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) blends to fabricate low-voltage ion-modulated transistors on a rough paper substrate. The semiconductor and insulator are mixed together in a solution and spin casted onto the paper substrate. Owing to their different solubilities and surface energies the P3HT and PLLA will phase separate vertically during the spinning process creating a thin layer of semiconductor on top of the insulator. This thin semiconductor layer, difficult to achieve by other means on an absorbing paper substrate, creates faster ion-modulated transistors. Using this approach we have created ring-oscillators on paper oscillating at 5 Hz.