Abstract
Fully transparent and flexible electronic substrates that incorporate functional materials are the precursors to realising nextgeneration devices with sensing, self-powering and portable functionalities. Here, we demonstrate a universal process for transferring planar, transparent functional oxide thin films on to elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. This process overcomes the challenge of incorporating high-temperature-processed crystalline oxide materials with low-temperature organic substrates. The functionality of the process is demonstrated using indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films to realise fully transparent and flexible resistors. The ITO thin films on PDMS are shown to withstand uniaxial strains of 15%, enabled by microstructure tectonics. Furthermore, zinc oxide was transferred to display the versatility of this transfer process. Such a ubiquitous process for the transfer of functional thin films to elastomeric substrates will pave the way for touch sensing and energy harvesting for displays and electronics with flexible and transparent characteristics. NPG Asia Materials (2013) 5, e62; doi:10.1038/am.2013.41; published online 13 September 2013
Highlights
Novel micro- and nano-technology applications encompassing plasmonic devices, field effect transistors, light-emitting diodes, sensor networks, electromagnetic components, terahertz metamaterials, energy harvesters and displays are increasingly demonstrated on flexible substrates.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7] These applications represent the building blocks of future flexible and transparent device technology incorporating complex circuitry and functionality
Process for transfer of functional oxides onto polymer substrates Microfabrication, thin film processing and photolithography techniques were combined to realise a process for the transfer of high-temperature functional oxides onto PDMS substrates
The lack of an adhesion layer ensures that the platinum with the oxide material on its surface is embedded in the cured PDMS layer (Figure 1d)
Summary
Novel micro- and nano-technology applications encompassing plasmonic devices, field effect transistors, light-emitting diodes, sensor networks, electromagnetic components, terahertz metamaterials, energy harvesters and displays are increasingly demonstrated on flexible substrates.[1,2,3,4,5,6,7] These applications represent the building blocks of future flexible and transparent device technology incorporating complex circuitry and functionality. A variety of colourless materials such as polyethylene[8] and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)[1] and coloured materials such as polyimide (or Kapton)[9] are widely used. The former can withstand only low processing temperatures (o100 1C), while the yellow-brown tinted polyimide can withstand up to B400 1C. The relevance of colourless substrates to flexible device technology is highlighted by the recent research focus on this area.[10,11] Second, functional oxide materials that offer tailored properties need to be integrated
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