Organic transistors resist feeling the heat

Organic transistors with excellent thermal stability, capable of withstanding typical medical sterilisation procedures, are presented in Nature Communications this week. The heat-resistant, flexible devices could prove useful for medical applications. Organic electronics are mechanically flexible and robust, offering a range of possible devices such as sensors or displays. Medical apparatus requires devices that can withstand exposure to sterilising temperatures, but organic materials usually degrade under such conditions. Takao Someya and colleagues fabricate thin film transistors based on organic semiconductors that are thermally stable after exposure to temperatures to up to 160°. The team report that they also retained their transistor characteristics after undergoing standard medical sterilisation procedures. They conclude that, combined with their flexibility and thin structure, these devices are promising for practical use in medical environments.