Flexible Electronic Devices Possible With University Of Alberta's New Thin Film Transistor

A new kind of Thin Film Transistor has been modeled by researchers at the University of Alberta, which is 10 times more capable of handling power compared to conventional TFTs. For the first time in the history of transistors, this one uses both electrons and absence of electrons (holes) as charge carriers, and therefore acts as a bipolar transistor. The team has achieved this by fabricating a film thinner than a strand of human hair, with high power handling capabilities.

thin-film-transistor-flexible-display

TFTs are the backbone of displays in current low power devices like laptops and mobiles, and greatly contribute to the thickness of the display. This breakthrough in sub-nanometer thick transistors could lead to ultra-thin displays that could also be flexible. Although LG at CES this year showcased a prototype 18-inch display that can be rolled up like a newspaper, it is not certain what was under the hood.

Usually the TFTs are of the architecture, Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET), and the research team came up with an entirely new architecture instead of trying to improve the existing one. They have used a phenomenon to their advantage, which was considered a limitation. It is the tunneling current.

They formed a unique combination of semiconductor and insulation, and introduced holes at the interface. This led to electrons being drawn towards them, through the dielectric barrier. This is called tunneling, which in conventional MOSFET architecture was considered bad as it dissipates heat.

Prof. Doug Barlage, a lead author of this paper says it is easily the best TFT ever conceived, and has a distinguishing scalable property for better performance and miniaturization. The team has applied for a patent and are looking to put the transistor film into production. In addition to bendable displays, they are exploring applications of this technology in biomedical imaging and renewable energy fields.

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