Carbon Nanotubes and Spongy Polymer Help Transistors Stretch 17
MTorrice writes "To make future displays that roll, bend, and stretch, electronics makers need the circuits that control the pixels to be elastic. In particular, they need flexible transistors. Now researchers have combined a carbon nanotube mesh with a spongy ionic polymer to build super-stretchy transistors. The scientists can pull the devices to lengths 57% greater than their resting length without disrupting performance."
Just a matter of time... (Score:2)
Soon you'll be able to wear plain white or black close which will change pattern and color according to your whim.
Re: (Score:3)
Or change the smarmy phrase on your geek t-shirt at a whim.
Useless! (Score:2)
Totally useless, you can build flexible and stretchable interconnects and displays, the transistors themselves have no real need to stretch.
Re: (Score:1)
The issue has always been the chips; they don't flex. Having the transistors not fail when stretched/bent is a necessary step, but we also need flexible chips/chip packaging as well as making the pads and solder that hold it to the board maintain a very good electrical connection throughout the bendy process.
Re: (Score:3)
Nope - just make the chips small enough such they can sit on a flex circuit and tolerate the needed bend radius. I do this all the time with ultra small medical electronics. Or put the silicon someplace that does not have to bend. This is totally a no brainer.
Re: (Score:2)
Flexible transistors would actually be quite useful in the burgeoning wearable electronics industry. A molex under tight-fitting spandex might be mistaken for some strange growth, a nipple, or general happiness at seeing you.
Is this not just (Score:2)
C'mon now. Big Picture. (Score:3)
Stop!!! (Score:2, Funny)
You can stop posting a /. story for every new application for Carbon Nanotubes we get it they can do everything. At this point I would be more surprised if it was discovered that there was something they couldn't do.
Re: (Score:3)
Yes, instead, we should see more articles about bitcoin and guns.
Re: (Score:2)
At this point I would be more surprised if it was discovered that there was something they couldn't do.
They can't get the /. editors to stop posting about Carbon Nanotubes.
Oh the humanity!
Stretching? The contrary would be more interesting (Score:2)
The scientists can pull the devices to lengths 57% greater than their resting length without disrupting performance."
Monitors 57% larger with a resolution lower than a smart phone display? No thanks, I had enough
On the flip (and flop) side(s):
* if they manage to compress those transitors to 57% of their resting size without disrupting performance, we may get another cheap two years of Moore's law.
* (grin) I like much better devices that one pushes - in contrast to pulling (as the time passes, everyone - no matter the gender - will be reminded a meaning of "floppy devices" that doesn't relate to IT).
How about in more traditional devices (Score:2)
I wonder if flexible, stretchy transistors would be useful in traditional non-flexible electronics.I'm thinking that being able to flex and move internally whenever the device is dropped or bumped might make things last longer.