Recent research trends of alternative materials to indium-tin-oxide for transparent electrodes in flexible displays

Abstract

As the flexible displays have been considered as a breakthrough to make a new electronics category, transparent electrodes have also confronted with an emerging issue, i.e., they also need to be mechanically flexible. For this to be made possible, a transparent electrode capable of withstanding large amounts of strain must be developed. Indium tin oxide (ITO) has been one of the most widely adopted transparent electrodes for displays and other transparent electronics, mainly supported by its high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. However, its brittle nature has forced the display industry to search for other alternatives. Recently, advances in nano-material researches have opened the door for various transparent conductive materials, which include carbon nanotube, graphene, Ag and Cu nanowire, and printable metal grids. Here we reviewed recently-published research works introducing flexible displays, all of which are employing the novel candidates for a conducting material.