Disposible Electronics?
Hurray! It's Friday again. Can't really explain why, but I'm just really tired this morning. Maybe it's because I didn't sleep well last night, or maybe it's because of the mental and emotional drain caused by my busy Wednesday, or maybe it's a combination of both. Well, I'd probably be sleeping early tonight anyway. :) Also, the PC Show 2005 is on at Singapore Expo! Anyone want to go? If you are going tell me what offers are available k? Haha. I'm too lazy to go down.
Today's article is also related to electronics - a new form of transparent material that can be used to build flexible thin-film transistors. According to the researchers, this material wouldn't be used as a replacement for conventional silicon-based computer products, but probably to develop new products. These include "foldable electronic devices, improved flat-panel displays, or game players that no one has thought of yet."
Technology and materials to build thin-film transistors have been under research for quite a while. The idea has always been to find ways to make electronics more flexible, thinner, lighter and cheaper to make. There have also been many polymers that have been developed for this purpose, typically carbon based. Such polymers, however, were just too soft, so soft that they could be cut using a pair of scissors.
However, this new material is inorganic. It's made of a mix of zinc and tin, and is hard (as in it doesn't get scratched easily), yet flexible. The best thing of all, it is totally transparent. What this means is that you could practically build a totally see through yet flexible display, or even magazines that could just be made up of a single sheet of such a material.
There's more good news. The researchers predict that the material could be developed for a commercial use in less than 3 years. Also, the material can be manufactured at temperatures not far above room temperature, which is much lower compared to the usual 700 to 1100 degrees required for conventional integrated ciruits. This means that it could possibly be much cheaper to build electronics made from such a material, bringing the possibility of disposible, or recyclable electronics.
Well, I am definitely looking forward to this. I mean I can totally think of a dozen things I would like to have a flexible display in. The first would probably be my handphone. Imagine having a handphone that is only the size of the keypad. Then with a press of a button, the folded display opens up and you have a screen much larger than any phone today. Now wouldn't that be nice?
Click here for the full article.
Today's article is also related to electronics - a new form of transparent material that can be used to build flexible thin-film transistors. According to the researchers, this material wouldn't be used as a replacement for conventional silicon-based computer products, but probably to develop new products. These include "foldable electronic devices, improved flat-panel displays, or game players that no one has thought of yet."
Technology and materials to build thin-film transistors have been under research for quite a while. The idea has always been to find ways to make electronics more flexible, thinner, lighter and cheaper to make. There have also been many polymers that have been developed for this purpose, typically carbon based. Such polymers, however, were just too soft, so soft that they could be cut using a pair of scissors.
However, this new material is inorganic. It's made of a mix of zinc and tin, and is hard (as in it doesn't get scratched easily), yet flexible. The best thing of all, it is totally transparent. What this means is that you could practically build a totally see through yet flexible display, or even magazines that could just be made up of a single sheet of such a material.
There's more good news. The researchers predict that the material could be developed for a commercial use in less than 3 years. Also, the material can be manufactured at temperatures not far above room temperature, which is much lower compared to the usual 700 to 1100 degrees required for conventional integrated ciruits. This means that it could possibly be much cheaper to build electronics made from such a material, bringing the possibility of disposible, or recyclable electronics.
Well, I am definitely looking forward to this. I mean I can totally think of a dozen things I would like to have a flexible display in. The first would probably be my handphone. Imagine having a handphone that is only the size of the keypad. Then with a press of a button, the folded display opens up and you have a screen much larger than any phone today. Now wouldn't that be nice?
A new material designed for producing bendable transistors is practically invisible and simple to produce. It could lead to a new class of throwaway electronic devices, its inventors say.
The "thin-film" material is not expected to replace existing silicon-based computer products. But it could be used for foldable electronic devices, improved flat-panel displays, or game players that no one has thought of yet. An entire windshield could be turned into a see-through electronic setup with built-in visual displays.
The research was led by John Wager, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Oregon State University.
Click here for the full article.
posted by CS at 8:20 AM
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