Homogeneous dewetting on large-scale microdroplet arrays for solution-processed electronics

Unidirectional dewetting enables the production of large-area thin films with high efficiency at low cost. Herein, we report homogeneous unidirectional dewetting on large-area microdroplet arrays via gravity-induced deformation in droplets combined with alternating lyophilic/lyophobic patterns. This process allows the scaled-up deposition of thin films, including organic semiconductors and transition metal oxides, through the autogenous shrinkage of droplets, which further enables the fabrication of large-area organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) arrays. The resulting field-effect mobility and on/off ratio of the fully printed OTFTs exceeded 13 cm2 V−1 s−1 and 108, respectively. Therefore, the presented dewetting method is promising to realize the roll-to-roll manufacture of large-area flexible electronics. NPG Asia Materials (2017) 9, e409; doi:10.1038/am.2017.123; published online 28 July 2017