Paper transistor

The paper transistor is one of the most important inventions of modern times. It revolutionized electronics and unlocked new and much, much smaller circuits. Portuguese researchers have produced the first paper transistors. To be more precise, they have made the first field effect transistors (FETs) with an interstate layer of paper. According to the research team, these new transistors offer the same level of performance as state-of-the-art oxide-based ‘thin film transistors (TFTs) produced on glass or crystalline silicon substrates.

A common sheet of paper is used on both sides in the manufacture of the paper transistor. It means that paper is used instead of silicon, which was invented by a Portuguese team and is manufactured at room temperature. In this way, the paper acts simultaneously as an electrical insulator and as a substrate. Furthermore, the electrical characterization of the devices showed that the performance of hybrid FETs exceeds that of amorphous silicon TFTs and rivals the current state of the art of oxide thin film transistors.

There is growing interest in the use of biopolymers for low-cost electronic applications. Since cellulose is the main biopolymer on Earth, some international teams have reported using paper as the physical carrier (substrate) for electronic devices, but no one had ever used paper as an inter-treated component of a FET.

Cellulose is not only used as a substrate but also acts as an electrical insulator by making the device on both sides of the paper. Add to that that the paper transistor outperforms the amorphous silicon thin-film transistor used in modern LCDs and falls short of the latest oxide thin-film transistors, which are still rare.

Since paper is flexible and a biomaterial, it would open up new possibilities for flexible displays, bio-labeling, cheap small displays that could be used to label assorted things, and more. Our only concern so far is degradability, that is, the lifespan of screens made of paper.

These results suggest promising new disposable electronic devices, such as paper displays, smart labels, smart packaging, bioapplications, and RFID tags.

Discrete devices

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