Recent Progress in Inkjet‐Printed Thin‐Film Transistors

Abstract

Drop‐on‐demand inkjet printing is one of the most attractive techniques from a manufacturing perspective due to the possibility of fabrication from a digital layout at ambient conditions, thus leading to great opportunities for the realization of low‐cost and flexible thin‐film devices. Over the past decades, a variety of inkjet‐printed applications including thin‐film transistors (TFTs), radio‐frequency identification devices, sensors, and displays have been explored. In particular, many research groups have made great efforts to realize high‐performance TFTs, for application as potential driving components of ubiquitous wearable electronics. Although there are still challenges to enable the commercialization of printed TFTs beyond laboratory‐scale applications, the field of printed TFTs still attracts significant attention, with remarkable developments in soluble materials and printing methodology. Here, recent progress in printing‐based TFTs is presented from materials to applications. Significant efforts to improve the electrical performance and device‐yield of printed TFTs to match those of counterparts fabricated using conventional deposition or photolithography methods are highlighted. Moreover, emerging low‐dimension printable semiconductors, including carbon nanotubes and transition metal dichalcogenides as well as mature semiconductors, and new‐concept printed switching devices, are also discussed.