Synthesis of ultrathin polymer insulating layers by initiated chemical vapour deposition for low-power soft electronics.
Insulating layers based on oxides and nitrides provide high capacitance, low leakage, high breakdown field and resistance to electrical stresses when used in electronic devices based on rigid substrates. However, their typically high process temperatures and brittleness make it difficult to achieve similar performance in flexible or organic electronics. Here, we show that poly(1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-trivinyl cyclotrisiloxane) (pV3D3) prepared via a one-step, solvent-free technique called initiated chemical vapour deposition (iCVD) is a versatile polymeric insulating layer that meets a wide range of requirements for next-generation electronic devices. Highly uniform and pure ultrathin films of pV3D3 with excellent insulating properties, a large energy gap (>8 eV), tunnelling-limited leakage characteristics and resistance to a tensile strain of up to 4% are demonstrated. The low process temperature, surface-growth character, and solvent-free nature of the iCVD process enable pV3D3 to be grown conformally on plastic substrates to yield flexible field-effect transistors as well as on a variety of channel layers, including organics, oxides, and graphene.
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Hanul
H
Moon
1] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Hyejeong
H
Seong
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Woo Cheol
WC
Shin
Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea.
Won-Tae
WT
Park
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Mincheol
M
Kim
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Seungwon
S
Lee
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Jae Hoon
JH
Bong
Department of Energy and Materials Engineering, Dongguk University, Seoul 100-715, Republic of Korea.
Yong-Young
YY
Noh
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Byung Jin
BJ
Cho
1] Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Seunghyup
S
Yoo
1] Graphene Research Center, KI for Nanocentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea [2] Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea.
Sung Gap
SG
Im