Printed Electronics-A Revolution in Manufacturing Methods

Another important characteristic of organic transistors is the simplicity of the method used to produce them. Inorganic transistors require massive vacuum systems and complex manufacturing processes. However, most organic materials can be dissolved in organic solvents to create "inks" that can be used to create circuits simply by printing them under normal atmospheric conditions. Printing technology can also be readily adapted to the production of flexible substrates and large substrates. With the methods used to manufacture conventional inorganic transistors, only a few percent of the materials are actually used. Printing is far more efficient, and by optimizing the method it is possible to achieve usage rates as high as 90%. For this reason, this manufacturing method is also attractive from an environmental perspective. Sony is currently conducting research into the fabrication of organic transistors through printing.

The Future Perspective of the Technology

The organic transistor is a new technology that is still in the early stages of its evolution. Comprehensive development efforts targeting printing processes, device fabrication and design methods are expected to result in improvements in both performance and reliability, paving the way for practical implementation of the technology. We have focused on flexible displays as an example of the types of devices in which this technology will be used. Other applications are likely to include sensors and input devices. By bringing these ideas together, it should be possible to create a variety of unique applications.