US Patent 7947977 - Thin film transistor with CNT electrodes

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7947977.html

Several proposals have been made to manufacture transistors using carbon nanotubes as the channel material. This patent from Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn) teaches a design in which nanotubes are used to form the electrodes of a transistor so as to enable applications in flexible electronic devices. Claim 1 reads:

1. A thin film transistor comprising:

a source electrode;

a drain electrode spaced from the source electrode;

a semiconducting layer electrically connected to the source electrode and the drain electrode; and

a gate electrode insulated from the source electrode, the drain electrode, and the semiconducting layer by an insulating layer;

wherein at least one of the source electrode, drain electrode, and the gate electrode comprises a metallic carbon nanotube layer, the metallic carbon nanotube layer comprises at least one carbon nanotube yarn structure, the at least one carbon nanotube yarn structure comprises a plurality of successive and oriented carbon nanotubes joined end to end by van der Waals attractive force.