Directed assembly of high density single-walled carbon nanotube patterns on flexible polymer substrates

Abstract

We report an effective technique for the controlled assembly of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and demonstrate organized high density network architectures on soft polymeric substrates. We utilize the surface energy differential between a plasma treated (hydrophilic) parylene-C surface and a photoresist (hydrophobic) surface to create microscale patterns of SWNT networks on a 10 microm thick parylene-C substrate. The large scale fabrication of patterned SWNT structures presented is achieved by performing site-selective fluidic assembly of SWNTs. Electrically continuous nanotube network micro-arrays as small as 4 microm wide that are up to 1500 microm long with controlled separation have been fabricated by dissolving the photoresist after assembly. Electrical and mechanical characterization of nanotube networks on the flexible substrate in both static and dynamic modes indicates that the structure can handle both compressive and tensile deformations with no hysteresis. The technology presented has immediate applications in making thin film transistors, interconnects and sensors on flexible substrates.