Scientists create new component for flexible electronics

UK scientists have been able to develop a new type of transistor that could facilitate the engineering of flexible electronics in future.

Developed by Surrey University, the thin-film source-gated-transistors (SGTs) were originally created in partnership with Philips a decade ago, but have now been shown to potentially reduce the complexity of flexible digital circuits, allowing them to be mass produced more easily and cheaply.

When used in digital circuits, the SGTs are more reliable, more energy efficient and better at withstanding electrical interference than conventional transistors, making them better-suited to use in low-cost technologies that lack screening and may be printed on plastics or fabrics.

Lead researcher Dr Radu Sporea told The Engineer: "The electromagnetic fields from Wi-Fi or mobile phones might disturb these circuits. The idea is that the SGT is better able to be resilient to this sort of thing."

The SGTs could be used with any semiconductor material including silicon, organic materials, zinc oxide and potentially graphene, which is gaining in popularity as a semiconductor.

It is hoped that the component could help advance the development of flexible electronic devices that can be bent, folded or rolled up for various applications. The technology has a wide range of potential uses in medical device design, consumer usage and more.