The First Paper-Based Transistors

Roland Piquepaille found news of research out of Portugal that has resulted in the first paper-based transistors (the original article is less informative than Roland's blog). More precisely, they've made the first field effect transistors (FET) with a paper interstrate layer. According to the research team, such transistors offer the same level of performance as 'state-of-the-art, oxide-based thin film transistors produced on glass or crystalline silicon substrates.' Possible applications include disposable electronics devices, such as paper displays, smart labels, bio-applications or RFID tags. The research will be published in IEEE Electron Device Letters in September.

Comments

Finally

[eebra82]

Coming soon, the 5 MHz toilet paper.

Re:Finally

[SlipperHat]

Coming soon, the 5 MHz toilet paper.

Charmin - feel the buzz!

Re:Finally

[negRo_slim]

Coming soon, the 5 MHz toilet paper.

Overclock it to 10Mhz for extra warmth on those cold winter mornings...

Re:Finally

[Anne_Nonymous]

Soon thereafter congress will have to enact another CAN-SPAM act.

Re:Finally

[Tumbleweed]

> > Coming soon, the 5 MHz toilet paper.

> Overclock it to 10Mhz for extra warmth on those cold winter mornings...

Don't overclock the Charmin.

Re:Finally

[Azar]

The cheap toilet paper my company buys already has some type of hurtz in it. Like sandpaper hurtz.

Re:Finally

[glittalogik]

New? We've had asswipe overlords for decades centuries pretty much forever, I think.

Paper batteries?

[Bombula]

Maybe they could go with paper batteries? Google "paper batteries" for a hundred other links to the same and related stories/technologies.

Not paper transistors dammit

[bluefoxlucid]

The INTERSTRATE layer is paper now. In a normal FET, the whole thing has a doped silicon substrate functioning as the grid and body, with a (say) metal oxide semiconductor in between as an insulator (interstrate) (MOSFET). They replaced the MOS with paper. It's still a hunk of silicon.

This is great and everything....

[BitterOldGUy]

but this will put even more demand on forests and the farming of trees - they grow too slow to keep up with the potential demand of these products (Just think of how many electronic devices are made and you know that disposable ones are going to sell like hotcakes!).

What they really need to do is use something very common; like, I don't know, sand. That's assuming they can come up with the technology. I know, I know. I'm dreaming.

Re:This is great and everything....

[negRo_slim]

but this will put even more demand on forests and the farming of trees - they grow too slow to keep up with the potential demand of these products...

Yeah using a renewable and easily managed resource is obviously a terrible idea... Wait, no it's a fantastic idea, I grew up surrounded by a managed forest and while it may stunt growth in the short term the fact is it left us with countryside to be proud of and long term economic activities, especially when you read of developments such as this.

Re:This is great and everything....

[EchaniDrgn]

But then we'll have a dependence on foreign sand. I mean, we can't use our beach sand, or the sand from our national parks...

obvious uses..

[apodyopsis]

"no, I am a genuine 5$ bill!"

"I will not display the next page of the book until you watch this advert in full"

paper airplane, and UAV in one

smart toilet paper (ugh!)

Q's wet dream

interactive wall paper

disposable smart ID badges

party hats with a difference..

"I am your tenth cigarette this hour!"

any more? can anybody think of sinister possible uses?

A heat sink is going to be crucial

[ArhcAngel]

to make sure the circuit never reaches 451F

Folding

[Rui del-Negro]

The same research team also said they would be releasing a CPU (codenamed "Origami") based on these transistors. It's optimised for F@H.

Not the first

[Bender_]

The first transistors on paper have been published in 2005:

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7387872.html

There is also a paper by the same authors, which I can not find right now.

ohnoitsroland

[Danny Rathjens]

Surely the real news is that Roland actually added correct content to an article rather than simply copied some pieces and made an inflammatory, catchy /. submission to get more hits on his "make money fast by blogging" blog?
I think it will take more than one or two decent submission to redeem himself of all the crap submissions that caused all the agitation for the ability to filter posts by submitter and the creation of firefox add-ons specifically for filtering him.

Re:Batman

[FatdogHaiku]

But soon the paper will analyze the cocaine as you snort it and if it really good maybe make a phone call or two. Hundred dollar bills phoning home when they are in large stacks... Faraday cage wallets will really be needed then...

Two twenty's meet in a bar, first twenty says to the second one "I'm from a bank heist last week... waiting for a good signal so I can report myself"

Cheap Transistor Inks

[Doc Ruby]

Paper is an interesting substrate, because it's cheap, but also because it's a renewable resource. It literally grows on trees. It's an interesting development because it's carbon, not a silicon material. It's not even made from plastic, which we have to make from oil. Which means that it could be made from the extra pollution we suck out of the air - the old fashioned way: growing it in the ground.

What will be really interesting is if we can match that innovation by printing organic inks onto the paper to make the rest of the transistors. Carbon based "wires" on the substrate. Preferably grown from plants (or algae - I'm not picky). See if we can't grow our microelectronics, rather than manufacture it, and cut out most of the waste and pollution, while perhaps making fairly durable objects that can be easily recycled into the environment by just burying them in soil. Atop which we grow the next generation.