Transparent Electronics

Transparent electronics is an emerging science and

technology field focused on producing transparent/invisible

electronic circuitry and devices.

In transparent electronics the usual opaque semiconductor

materials forming the basis for electronic device fabrication is

replaced with transparent materials.

A transparent material is an insulator which possesses

completely filled valence and empty conduction bands.

large carrier concentrations desired for a good

conductivity may result in an increase of the optical

absorption .

Plasma Oscillations.

Converting idea into reality

TCOs constitute an unusual class ofmaterials possessing two physicalproperties:

o Optical Transparency

o Electrical Conductivity

ZnO

In2O3

CdO

ITO (Indium Tin Oxide)

Substitutional Doping

Oxygen Reduction

S.

No.

Compound

Semiconductor

Dopant Preparation

technique

01. NiO Li Pulsed laser

deposition

02. ZnO Na, Mg Sol gel. Annealing

03. Cr2O3 Al, N Spray Pyrolysis

04. Mg1-xZnxO In Pulsed laser

deposition

Transparent Conducting

Devices

Passive

TTFR TTFC TTFI

Active

TTFT

Expected to operate at lower frequencies

Expected to exhibit linear or very near

linear behaviour

Capacitor must have linear current voltage

derivative property.

Large capacitance density is required to minimize

the size.

Thin insulator with high dielectric constant value is

the best.

Inductor must have linear Voltage current

derivative property.

A large ‘Q value’ is better (Q=(2πf L/RL)).

Expected to behave in anon-ideal manner.

Constitutes the heart of transparent electronics

Formed from highly insulating, wide band gap

transparent semiconductor(ZnO)

Source, drain and gate contacts are made from

highly conductive TCO (ITO)

Two possible configurations are:

a. Bottom gate

b. Top gate

Visible Transparency

Low Temperature Processing

Robust stable inorganic materials

Safe and Non toxic

Low Cost

High resistance of TCOs

Lack of complementary devices

Low frequency operation (from KHz to few MHz)

Technological Immaturity

APPLICATIONS

See through or novel display structures

Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Device

display backplane (AMOLED)

Value added glass

Invisible cameras and Invisible RFIDs

Transparent solar cells or Solar windows

CONCLUSIONS

Great impact on Human-Machine interactions in near futureNew applications like solar windows holds the key for many future advancements in security, entertainment and efficient utilization of the energy New business opportunities are arisingDoors to the new world will open soon