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2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim 6170 wileyonlinelibrary.com
active-matrix organic light-emitting diode
(f-AMOLED) is potentially strong candi-
dates for use in these devices, as they have
high optical transparency exceeding 80%
[3]
with outstanding performance capabili-
ties, as exemplified by their rapid refresh
rates, short response time, and low power
consumption levels.
[4,5]
The backplane of oxide thin-film tran-
sistors (TFTs) has been spotlighted as
a switching and driving component for
transparent f-AMOLED due to its high
mobility,
[6]
low leakage current,
[7]
and high
transparency.
[8]
Several research groups
have reported various approaches to create
flexible oxide TFTs by means of direct
deposition onto plastics,
[9]
solution-coating
methods,
[10,11]
and with composite-based
nanomaterials.
[12]
These methods, how-
ever, are associated with the fact that the
oxide TFTs on flexible substrates exhibit
insufficient performance levels and low
production yields compared to those on
conventional glass substrates, owing to the inherent issues
of high-temperature compatibility
[13]
or their yellowish plastic
color.
[14]
Our group has recently developed high-performance
flexible one selector-one memristor (1S-1M) devices utilizing
an inorganic-based laser liftoff (ILLO) process,
[15]
an advanced
exfoliation process for transferring only inorganic thin-
film devices fabricated on a rigid substrate onto a large-area
plastic substrate. While the application of flexible high-density
memory has been investigated, the ILLO process has not been
exploited for display technology, where the largest flexible elec-
tronic market exists.
Recently, skin-like electronics (thickness <5 μm, transmit-
tance >80%) that can be conformally attached onto any type
of curvilinear surface have been reported for human/machine
interfaces, wearable technologies, and biomedical applica-
tions.
[16,17]
Despite the demonstrations of ultrathin electronics
such as organic thin-film transistors
[18]
and strain sensors,
[19–21]
the skin-like display remains as a challenge to achieve next-gen-
eration imperceptible displays or display of things.
Here, we realize high-performance, skin-like, transparent
oxide TFT arrays using the ILLO process. The 50 × 50 indium
zinc oxide (IZO) TFT array, fabricated with a laser-reactive exfo-
liation layer on a rigid glass substrate, was successfully trans-
ferred onto an ultrathin flexible substrate (4 um thickness).
After irradiation by an excimer laser through the backside of the
Skin-Like Oxide Thin-Film Transistors for
Transparent Displays
Han Eol Lee, Seungjun Kim, Jongbeom Ko, Hye-In Yeom, Chun-Won Byun,
Seung Hyun Lee, Daniel J. Joe, Tae-Hong Im, Sang-Hee Ko Park,* and Keon Jae Lee*
Flexible transparent display is a promising candidate to visually communicate
with each other in the future Internet of Things era. The flexible oxide thin-
film transistors (TFTs) have attracted attention as a component for trans-
parent display by its high performance and high transparency. The critical
issue of flexible oxide TFTs for practical display applications, however, is the
realization on transparent and flexible substrate without any damage and
characteristic degradation. Here, the ultrathin, flexible, and transparent oxide
TFTs for skin-like displays are demonstrated on an ultrathin flexible substrate
using an inorganic-based laser liftoff process. In this way, skin-like ultrathin
oxide TFTs are conformally attached onto various fabrics and human skin sur-
face without any structural damage. Ultrathin flexible transparent oxide TFTs
show high optical transparency of 83% and mobility of 40 cm
2
V
-1
s
-1
. The
skin-like oxide TFTs show reliable performance under the electrical/optical
stress tests and mechanical bending tests due to advanced device materials
and systematic mechanical designs. Moreover, skin-like oxide logic inverter
circuits composed of n-channel metal oxide semiconductor TFTs on ultrathin,
transparent polyethylene terephthalate film have been realized.
DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201601296
H. E. Lee, Dr. S. Kim, J. B. Ko, H.-I. Yeom, S. H. Lee,
Dr. D. J. Joe, T.-H. Im, Prof. S.-H. K. Park, Prof. K. J. Lee
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Korea Advanced Institute of Science
and Technology (KAIST)
291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu
Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
E-mail: shkp@kaist.ac.kr; keonlee@kaist.ac.kr
C.-W. Byun
Information & Communications Core Technology Research Laboratory
Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI)
218 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34129, Republic of Korea
1. Introduction
Augmented reality (AR)
[1]
has attracted significant attention
with the development of smart devices and the Internet of
Things (IoT),
[2]
which can realize a hyperconnected society by
collecting and exchanging bilateral information. Flexible trans-
parent displays have been proposed as a powerful medium
of visual communication that can be attached to anything,
including the windows of vehicles and buildings, mirrors,
and even eyeglasses for the efficient use of space. Flexible
Adv. Funct. Mater. 2016, 26, 6170–6178
www.afm-journal.de
www.MaterialsViews.com