Laser Patterned Polymer/Carbon Nanotubes Composite Electrodes for Flexible Silicon Nanowire Transistors

Fabrication techniques such as laser patterning offer excellent potential for low cost and large area device fabrication. Conductive polymers can be used to replace expensive metallic inks such as silver and gold nanoparticles for printing technology. Electrical conductivity of the polymers can be improved by blending with carbon nanotubes. In this work, formulations of acid functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) and poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) [PEDOT]:polystyrene sulphonate [PSS] were processed, and thin films were prepared on plastic substrates. Conductivity of PEDOT:PSS increased almost four orders of magnitude after adding f-MWCNTs. Work function of PEDOT:PSS/f-MWCNTs films was ∼0.5 eV higher as compared to the work function of pure PEDOT:PSS films, determined by Kelvin probe method. Field-effect transistors source–drain electrodes were prepared on PET plastic substrates where PEDOT:PSS/f-MWCNTs were patterned using laser ablation at 44 mJ/pulse energy to define 36 μm electrode separation. Silicon nanowires were deposited using dielectrophoresis alignment technique to bridge laser patterned electrodes. Top-gated nanowire field effect transistors were completed by depositing parylene C as polymer gate dielectric and gold as the top-gate electrode. Transistor characteristics showed p-type conduction with excellent gate electrode coupling, with an ON/OFF ratio of ∼200. Thereby, we demonstrate the feasibility of using high workfunction, printable PEDOT:PSS/f-MWCNTs composite inks for laser patterned source/drain electrodes for nanowire transistors on flexible substrates.