Low-Temperature Fabrication of Metal Oxide Thin Films and Nanomaterial-Derived Metal Composite Thin Films

Combustion Processing for Metal Oxide Thin-Film Electronics NU 2010-164 Inventors Antonio Facchetti Mercouri G. Kanatzidis* Tobin J. Marks* He Yan Myung-Gil Kim William Christopher Sheets Yu Xia Abstract Production of larger electronics such as flat panel displays, sensor arrays, and flexible circuitry require low-cost, high-throughput manufacturing methods that are compatible with fabrication on a large surface. Conventional manufacturing using single-crystal silicon wafers is expensive and limiting for large areas and does not easily achieve optical transparency and mechanical flexibility in the resulting material. Oxide thin films on flexible substrates represent a feasible option for large-area production, but current methods are limited by the requirement for very high annealing temperatures. Northwestern inventors have developed a combustion processing method that eliminates the need for extreme heating and allows for the production of a variety of metal oxide thin films. These films can be applied to a variety of devices and are demonstrably effective in optically transparent transistors positioned on flexible plastic substrates. Applications o Production of large-area, flexible, optically transparent electronic components Advantages o Cost effective o No extreme heating o Easily achieve mechanical flexibility and optical transparency IP Status A patent application has been filed. Marketing Contact Allan Nader, PhD Invention Manager (e) a-nader@northwestern.edu (p) 847.491.4456