Guided by Miss.

Shahida

Submitted by, Sajas K.K. Roll no: 18 S5 EC

Introduction
What is transparent electronics?
In transparent electronics the usual opaque

semiconductor materials forming the basis for

electronic device fabrication is replaced with transparent materials.

There are two technologies which preceded

and underlie transparent electronics:

1. Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs) 2. Thin Film Transistors (TFTs)

Transparent Conducting Oxides TCOs)

TCOs constitute an unusual class of materials

possessing two physical properties (generally considered mutually exclusive):

1. High optical transparency. ( Eg>3.1eV)

2. High electrical conductivity.

Transparent electronic devices

Transparent Passive devices Transparent Active devices

Transparent Passive devices

Transparent Thin Film Resistors

Transparent Thin Film Capacitors

Transparent Thin Film Inductors

Transparent Thin Film Resistors

Resistive material: ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) Typical sheet resistance ~ 10-105 Conductivity of TCOs depends on number of
oxygen vacancies ( ) and metal atoms occupying interstitial sites.

Transparent Thin Film Capacitors

 Most insulators are transparent.

Contact layer is made of highly conducting

TCOs (ITO).
= .

Transparent Thin Film Inductors

Hard to realize due to poor conductivity of

TCOs compared to metals. = 2/

High L requires larger number of turns which

in turn results in increased parasitic resistance.

Schottky Barriers

Formed from metal (anode)-semiconductor

(cathode) junction.

Space charge region (depletion region) and

potential barrier formation due to difference in work function of metal and semiconductor.

Schottky barrier height =

, where Schottky barrier height work function of metal Electron affinity of semiconductor

Energy band in a Schottky barrier

Transparent Thin Film Transistors Constitutes the heart of transparent

electronics

Channel is formed from highly insulating, wide

band gap transparent semiconductor(ZnO).

Source, drain and gate contacts are made

from highly conductive TCO (ITO).

Two possible configurations are:

a) Bottom gate b) Top gate

Possible structure, (a) Bottom gate, and (b) Top gate.

Operation of a bottom gate TFT

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths
Visible transparency Large area Low cost (solution based deposition and printing)

Weaknesses
High resistance of TCOs Lack of complementary devices Low frequency of operation.(KHz to few MHz). fT=( )/22 Technological immaturity

Low temperature processing

Free real estate Passive availability (R & C) Robust stable inorganic materials Safe, nontoxic materials

Applications

Active Matrix LCD (AMLCD). Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Device
display backplane (AMOLED).

Value added glass.

Transparent electronics on opaque substrates.

UV detectors and arrays

Transparent solar cells
UV detectors for spectrally resolved imaging.

Security applications:
Invisible cameras and Invisible RFIDs

Conclusion

Started as a mere electrical device technology

during world war 2, transparent electronics now holds the key for many future advancements in security, entertainment efficient utilization of energy.

Reference Transparent Electronics , Springer

publications, J.F.Wager, D. A. Keszler, R. E. Presley.

Transparent electronics: from synthesis to

applications, Wiley publications: Antonio Facchetti, Tobin J. Marks