Dr. Oana Jurchescu, who serves as assistant professor of physics at Wake Forest University, and her team have developed an exceptionally huge molecule with high stability and superior electrical properties at lower cost, which paves the way for the advancement of plastic-based flexible electronics field.
Previous scientists had already envisaged that bigger carbon structures would have superior properties compared to their tiny counterparts. However, an effective method is still not available to produce these larger molecules with stability and solubility for study.
Physics professor Oana Jurchescu and grad students Jeremy Ward and Katelyn Goetz
The novel technology could realize the production of scientific wonders such as electronic wallpapers, wearable electronics, smart windshields, flexible displays, smart bandages and artificial skin.
Jurchescu stated that organic or plastic semiconductors that are mass produced by utilizing spray deposition, inkjet printing or roll-to-roll processing characterize the future trend of ‘electronics everywhere’. Organic electronics made of plastic or carbon-based materials are easy to manufacture, inexpensive and lightweight as well as have mechanical flexibility, she said.
Jurchescu further stated that her team investigated field-effect transistors, which are the basic building blocks in all types of modern electronics. The findings of the study revealed that the electrical performance of the molecules gets affected by their structure.
Jurchescu team investigated the structure-property relations of new organic semiconductor materials suitable for transistor applications at her lab. Organic semiconductors have exclusive conductivity properties due their unique structure. In contemporary electronics, transistors are used in circuits to harness the current between various spots of the circuit. The research findings pave the way to major technological advancements as the transistor performance controls the contrast details, switching speed and other important characteristics of the display.