US 2021/0343618 A1Published application

Flexible transistors with near-junction heat dissipation

AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

InventorsZhenqiang Ma, Huilong Zhang, Shaoqin Gong

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

Flexible transistors and electronic circuits incorporating the transistors are provided. The flexible transistors promote heat dissipation from the active regions of the transistors while preserving their mechanical flexibility and high-frequency performance. The transistor designs utilize thru-substrate vias (TSVs) beneath the active regions of thin-film type transistors on thin flexible substrates. To promote rapid heat dissipation, the TSVs are coated with a material having a high thermal conductivity that transfers heat from the active region of the transistor to a large-area ground.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A flexible field effect transistor comprising:

a transistor comprising:
a source electrode;
a drain electrode;
a semiconductor structure comprising one or more layers of semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor structure defines a channel that extends from the source electrode to the drain electrode and provides electrical communication between the source electrode and the drain electrode;
and
a gate electrode in electrical communication with the channel, wherein the gate electrode is configured to apply a gate voltage across the channel to modulate current flow through the channel;
a dielectric polymer substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the upper surface is mounted to the semiconductor structure, and further wherein a via underlying the portion of the channel extending from the source electrode to the gate electrode is defined in the dielectric polymer substrate, the via extending from the lower surface to the upper surface of the dielectric polymer substrate, such that a surface of the semiconductor structure is exposed through the via;
and
a thermally conductive film in contact with the lower surface of the dielectric polymer substrate, sidewalls of the via, and the surface of the semiconductor structure that is exposed through the via.

6 more elements

A method of forming a flexible transistor, the method comprising:

providing a transistor comprising:
a source electrode;
a drain electrode;
a semiconductor structure comprising one or more layers of semiconductor material, wherein the semiconductor structure defines a channel extending from the source electrode to the drain electrode that provides electrical communication between the source electrode and the drain electrode;
and
a gate electrode in electrical communication with the channel, wherein the gate electrode is configured to apply a gate voltage across the channel to modulate current flow through the channel;
providing a dielectric polymer substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface;
mounting the upper surface of the dielectric polymer substrate to the semiconductor structure;
forming a via underlying at least the portion of the channel extending from the source electrode to the gate electrode in the dielectric polymer substrate, the via extending from the lower surface to the upper surface of the dielectric polymer substrate, such that a surface of the semiconductor structure is exposed through the via;
and
depositing a thermally conductive film on the lower surface of the dielectric polymer substrate, sidewalls of the via, and the surface of the semiconductor structure that is exposed through the via.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.