The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) presents a seminar by Dr Patrick Malenfant, Printable Electronics - Materials Thrust Leader at National Research Council of Canada (NRC).
Nanomaterials for Printable Electronics
Abstract
Progress has been made over the last 15 years in printed electronics (PE) yet many challenges remain at the materials, fabrication and integration level, limiting performance and commercialization. The PE program at the National Research Council in Canada has taken a targeted approach that balances short-term client needs with fundamental research focused on materials and fabrication. In this presentation, I will highlight our progress towards developing a printable thin film transistor (TFT) materials package. A highly conductive metallic ink platform has been developed boasting excellent electrical and mechanical properties that will facilitate integration in flexible form factors (GGI International). A patent pending process underlies the recent commercialization of the highest purity semiconducting singled walled carbon nanotube (sc-SWCNT) ink IsoSol-S100TM (NanoIntegris). The fabrication of thin film transistor (TFT) channels using various techniques such as soaking, inkjet printing and spray coating will be described and TFT performance will be compared while showcasing the virtues of newly developed printable dielectrics (Xerox). We will also present successful strategies that eliminate device hysteresis and control the threshold voltage in bottom and top-gated SWCNT TFT devices with and without encapsulation – achieving near zero threshold voltages with printable materials. Lastly, fully printed transistors fabricated using a combination of roll-to-roll gravure and inkjet printing will be discussed, demonstrating the potential for fully printed electronics based on sc-SWCNTs.
Dr. Patrick Malenfant
Dr. Patrick Malenfant studied chemistry at the University of Ottawa (BSc 1995), Cornell University (MSc 1997), and the University of California – Berkeley (PhD 2000). He has 10 years of industrial R&D experience including a one year postdoc at IBM’s TJ Watson Research Center and 9 years at the GE Global Research Center where he developed nanomaterials for Aerospace, Healthcare, and Organic Electronics applications. He joined the National Research Council of Canada in 2010 as a Senior Research Officer. He is currently the Nanomaterials Group Leader in the Security and Disruptive Portfolio and the Materials Thrust Leader of the Printable Electronics.
Seminar notice of Dr. Patrick Malenfant