title: Embedded Fin-Like Metal/CNT Hybrid Structures for Flexible and Transparent Conductors.
abstract: In this paper, an embedded fin-like metal-coated carbon nanotube (Fin-M/CNT) structure is demonstrated for flexible and transparent conductor wire applications. Embedded in a polydimethylsiloxane polymeric substrate, Fin-M/CNT wires with a minimum width of 5 μm and a minimum pitch of 10 μm have been achieved. Direct current resistances of single Fin-M/CNT wires, where the supporting CNT structures have been covered by Ti/Al/Au metal coatings of different thicknesses, have been measured. The high aspect ratio of the fin-like structures not only improves the adhesion between the wires and the polymeric substrate, but also yields a low resistance at a small surface footprint. In addition, transparent Fin-M/CNT grid lines with hexagonal patterns, with a sheet resistance of as low as 45 Ω sq(-1) , have been achieved at an optical transmittance of 88%. The robustness of the Fin-M/CNT structures has been demonstrated in bending tests up to 500 cycles and no significant changes in wire resistances are observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Di
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.|SMIT Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Nanomicroresearch Institute Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.|SMIT Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Nanomicroresearch Institute Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nylander
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.|SHT Smart High Tech AB, Aschebergsgatan 46, SE 411 33, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Yifeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.|SMIT Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Nanomicroresearch Institute Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Kjell
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jeppson
authors.affiliation: Department of Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96, Gothenburg, Sweden.|SMIT Center, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Nanomicroresearch Institute Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: carbon nanotubes; flexible conductors; hybrid structures; transparent conductors