NIRT: Printed Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Arrays for High Performance Flexible Plastic Electronic Systems

本研究的目的是发展一个基本的了解方面的电荷传输的半导体单壁碳纳米管（SWNT），纯化和操纵这些管的方法，并使用它们在一种新型的机械柔性晶体管，采用大规模并行阵列的SWNT（SWNT阵列）作为高迁移率半导体层的手段。 这种跨学科的科学努力涉及管的化学和材料科学以及使它们功能化的方法，它们的分离/图案化的化学工程，通过它们的电荷传输的物理学和SWNT阵列晶体管的电气工程方面。 该方法包括结合使用高分辨率光谱方法，扫描探针显微镜，不寻常的设备制造方法，管功能化的化学技术，和计算工具来模拟设备的响应。 这项研究将产生的科学有可能产生柔性“塑料”电路技术，其性能与先进的单晶硅器件相当或更好。 这些新方法将使重要的系统类别-可穿戴计算机，高分辨率柔性发射显示器等-这将是很难或不可能实现的传统无机电子产品。 该团队包括杜邦作为研究合作者，并作为商业化这些系统的潜在途径。 该计划的跨学科科学和技术组成部分，特别是当与行业的密切合作相结合时，提供了良好的教育，人力资源和推广机会。 来自不同背景的高中教师、本科生和研究生都将参加学术和工业地点的研究。

The objective of this research is to develop a basic understanding of aspects of charge transport in semiconducting single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), methods for purifying and manipulating these tubes, and means for using them in a new type of mechanically flexible transistor that incorporates massively parallel arrays of SWNTs (SWNT-arrays) as high mobility semiconductor layers. This interdisciplinary scientific effort involves the chemistry and materials science of the tubes and means to functionalize them, chemical engineering of their separation/patterning, physics of charge transport through them and electrical engineering aspects of the SWNT-array transistors. The approach includes the combined use of high resolution spectroscopic methods, scanning probe microscopies, unusual methods for device fabrication, chemical techniques for tube functionalization, and computational tools to simulate device response. The science that will emerge from this research has the potential to yield technologies for flexible 'plastic' circuits that offer performance comparable to or better than advanced single crystal silicon devices. These new approaches will enable important classes of systems -- wearable computers, high resolution flexible emissive displays, etc. -- that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional inorganic electronics. The team includes DuPont as a research collaborator, and as a potential path to commercializing these systems. The interdisciplinary science and technology components of the program, especially when combined with the close collaborations with industry, provide excellent educational, human resource and outreach opportunities. High school teachers, undergraduates and graduate students from diverse backgrounds will all participate in the research, both at the academic and industrial locations.