Flexible Electronics: The Role of Organic Field-Effect Transistors
Organic Field-Effect Transistors (OFETs) are emerging as promising candidates to realize ultimate flexible and stretchable electronics. Organic materials have the advantage of low cost and excellent compatibility with multiple substrates, meaning the possibility of their use with conventional, flexible and even biodegradable substrates. All this makes them ideal for applications in the new field of ubiquitous computing.
At the heart of every circuit is a switch that turns the current on and off. OFETs act as switches as they can quickly and easily modulate the current passing through them. In addition to this, OFETs have the special advantage that they can be combined with a wide range of active materials including organic semiconductors, redox-active electroactive polymers and liquid crystals. This flexibility allows for the development of a wide range of applications such as thermoelectric generators and smart sensors that can be deployed on flexible and stretchable substrates.
In addition to these applications, OFETs also hold a great potential as an energy source. By incorporating an integrated solar cell into the circuit, an OFET could be used to harvest energy directly from the sun. This could be used to power a variety of applications such as self-powered remote sensors for monitoring and forecasting weather systems, or for powering devices in remote areas that are not connected to a power grid.
OFETs are still in the early stages of development and further research is needed to fully understand the physics behind their operation. Nevertheless, the potential of their application suggests that they could become the backbone of a new generation of electronics. By offering the possibility of flexible and stretchable platforms, they could open the door to an entirely new way of interacting with our environment. According to some experts, the development of this technology is likely to have an immense impact on the way in which we interact with our everyday surroundings.
In conclusion, OFETs are emerging as promising candidates to realise a truly flexible and stretchable technology. By incorporating integrated solar cells, they could even be used as an energy source. Further research is needed to fully understand their operation, but it is already clear that OFETs could hold the key to unlocking the potential of ubiquitous computing and the development of an entirely new way of interacting with our environment.
