Adopting Novel Strategies in Achieving High-Performance Single-Layer Network Structured ZnO Nanorods Thin Film Transistors

Monolithic Integration of Silicon Nanowire Networks as a Soft Wafer for Highly Stretchable and Transparent Electronics

Assembling nanoscale building blocks into an orderly network with a programmable layout and channel designs represents a critical capability to enable a wide range of stretchable electronics. Here, we demonstrate the growth-in-place integration of silicon nanowire (SiNW) springs into highly stretchable, transparent, and quasicontinuous functional networks with a close to unity interconnection among the discrete electrode joints because of a unique double-lane/double-step guiding edge design. The SiNW networks can be reliably transferred to a soft elastomer substrate, conformally attached to highly curved surfaces, or deployed as self-supporting/movable membranes suspended over voids. A high stretchability of >40% is achieved for the SiNW network on an elastomer, which can be employed as a transparent and semiconducting thin-film material endowed with a high carrier mobility of >50 cm²/(V s), I_on/I_off ratio >10⁴, and a tunable transmission of >80% over a wide spectrum range. Reversibly stretchable and bendable sensors based on the SiNW network have been successfully demonstrated, where the local strain distribution within the spring network can be directly observed and analyzed by finite element simulations. This SiNW network has a unique potential to eventually establish a new generically purposed waferlike platform for constructing soft electronics with Si-based hard performances.

Dual role of Ag nanowires in ZnO quantum dot/Ag nanowire hybrid channel photo thin film transistors

High mobility and p-type thin film transistors (TFTs) are in urgent need for high-speed electronic devices. In this work, ZnO quantum dot (QD)/Ag nanowire (NW) channel TFTs were fabricated by a solution processed method. The Ag NWs play the dual role of dopant and providing the charge transfer route, which make the channel p-type and enhance its mobility, respectively. The best sample yields an on/off ratio (I on/I off) of 5.04 × 105, a threshold voltage (V T) of 0.73 V, a high field effect mobility (μ FE) of 8.69 cm2 V-1 s-1, and a subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.41 V dec-1. Owing to the strong ultraviolet (UV) absorption and photo-induced carrier separation ability of ZnO QDs and the fast carrier transport of Ag NWs, the devices acquire a high external quantum efficiency (EQE) and ultra-fast response under 365 nm UV illumination. The UV-modulated ZnO QD/Ag NW hybrid channel photo TFTs have potential for future application in optoelectronic devices, such as photodetectors and photoswitches.

Microstructure and photocatalytic properties of polyimide/heterostructured NiO–Fe2O3–ZnO nanocomposite films via an ion-exchange technique

An innovative photocatalytic PI/heterostructured NiO–Fe₂O₃–ZnO nanocomposite was proposed.