Highly Stretchable Carbon Nanotube Transistors with Ion Gel Gate Dielectrics

Field-effect transistors (FETs) that are stretchable up to 50% without appreciable degradation in performance are demonstrated. The FETs are based on buckled thin films of polyfluorene-wrapped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the channel, a flexible ion gel as the dielectric, and buckled metal films as electrodes. The buckling of the CNT film enables the high degree of stretchability while the flexible nature of the ion gel allows it to maintain a high quality interface with the CNTs during stretching. An excellent on/off ratio of >10⁴, a field-effect mobility of 10 cm²·V^–1·s^–1, and a low operating voltage of