Low-Voltage Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Transparent Thin-Film Transistors Gated by Chitosan-Based Proton Conductors

Solution-processed solid chitosan-based proton conductor film shows a large specific gate capacitance of ~7.47 μF/cm² due to the interfacial electric-double-layer effect. Low-voltage (1.5 V) organic/inorganic hybrid transparent thin-film transistors with patterned indium-tin-oxide channels gated by chitosan films are self-assembled on glass substrates by only one metal shadow mask. The subthreshold gate voltage swing, current on/off ratio, and field-effect mobility are estimated to be 93 mV/dec, ~10⁶, and 5.74 cm²·V^-1·s^-1, respectively. The reproducibility of pulse respond of such device is also demonstrated, which indicates the absence of electrochemical doping of the channel at the interface.