Inkjet printing of metal oxide thin-film transistors

Metal oxide semiconductors have attracted considerable attention because of their superior material properties, including their band gap, transparency, and high field-effect mobility compared to conventional a-Si:H and organic semiconductors in applications requiring transparent thin-film transistors (TFTs). This chapter discusses several fundamental issues associated with the inkjet printing of metal oxide TFTs. The fundamental challenges in depositing oxide thin films from a solution are associated with the conversion of the soluble precursors into a dense solid. The printed transistor performance is highly dependent on both the film morphology and the quality of the semiconductor-electrode and/or semiconductor-dielectric interfaces. In the future, inkjet printing of all-metal oxides can open up a new possibility to realize transparent, flexible-solution-processed oxide devices.