In the November 25 issue of the British science magazine, Nature, the Japan Science and Technology Agency announced the creation of a new type of semiconductor for the active channel in TFT (Thin-Film Transistor) that is both transparent and bendable. This innovation marks significant progress toward a workable design for electronic paper and flexible display screens, which are considered vital to the development of a range of functions for portable electronic devices.

 

Researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology have devised a way to produce transistors that are light, bendable, and transparent. Experiments with clear, bendable transistors have been done before using organic semiconductor materials, but the processing speed was far too slow for practical use. The new material is up to ten times more efficient.

 

The transparent TFT is made from an oxide compound containing indium, gallium, and zinc. Normally, silicon semiconductors have to be manufactured at high temperatures that will melt plastic. The new oxide compound, however, can be processed under cooler temperatures, thus making it is possible to mount the oxide semiconductor on a plastic surface that can support transistor circuitry.

 

The transparent nature of the semiconductor means it could be used to display images on surfaces such as windows and car windshields. Moreover, the transistors require a low level of backlight to display images on LCD screens, which means the new TFT could significantly reduce energy consumption for display panels.