Abstract
Vertical organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have been manufactured solely using screen printing. The OECTs are based on PEDOT:PSS (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonic acid)), which defines the active material for both the transistor channel and the gate electrode. The resulting vertical OECT devices and circuits exhibit low-voltage operation, relatively fast switching, small footprint and high manufacturing yield; the last three parameters are explained by the reliance of the transistor configuration on a robust structure in which the electrolyte vertically bridges the bottom channel and the top gate electrode. Two different architectures of the vertical OECT have been manufactured, characterized and evaluated in parallel throughout this report. In addition to the experimental work, SPICE models enabling simulations of standalone OECTs and OECT-based circuits have been developed. Our findings may pave the way for fully integrated, low-voltage operating and printed signal processing systems integrated with e.g. printed batteries, solar cells, sensors and communication interfaces. Such technology can then serve a low-cost base technology for the internet of things, smart packaging and home diagnostics applications.
Highlights
The field of printed electronics has evolved rapidly during recent decades and is today a mature and vast research field, as evidenced by the increasing number of companies that are operating globally with this technology integrated into various products
Device manufacturing All materials were deposited by flatbed sheet-fed screen printing equipment (DEK Horizon 03iX) on top of plastic substrates originating from polyethylene terephtalate (PET), for example Polifoil Bias purchased from Policrom Screen
The wetting properties of the electrolyte and the gate electrode material must be compatible with each other. These requirements have until now, prevented the utilization of allprinted vertical OECT devices. Once these requirements have been met, the manufacturing process of the vertically configured PEDOT:poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS)-based OECT devices is straightforward since screen printing is the only required deposition method; this is further illustrated in figure 1(d)
Summary
The field of printed electronics has evolved rapidly during recent decades and is today a mature and vast research field, as evidenced by the increasing number of companies that are operating globally with this technology integrated into various products One example of such an application is the smart temperature sensor labels that currently are being developed and launched onto the market [1]. This means that pinholes, which cause electrical short-circuits between the gate and the transistor channel, are less likely to be formed This offers the possibility to build OECTs using a relatively much more robust structure and different vertical and lateral architectures, or combinations, can be used.
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