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Flexible high-voltage thin- lm transistors (HVTFTs) operating at more than 1 kV are integrated with compliant dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) to create a exible array of 16 independent actuators. To allow for high-voltage operation, the HVTFT implements a zinc–tin oxide channel, a thick dielectric stack, and an offset gate. At a source–drain bias of 1 kV, the HVTFT has a 20 μA on-current at a gate voltage bias of 30 V. Their electrical characteris- tics enable the switching of DEAs which require drive voltages of over 1 kV, making control of an array simpler in comparison to the use of external high-voltage switching. These HVTFTs are integrated in a flexible haptic display consisting of a 4 × 4 matrix of DEAs and HVTFTs. Using a single 1.4 kV supply, each DEA is independently switched by its associated HVTFT, requiring only a 30 V gate voltage for full DEA de ection. The 4 × 4 display operates well even when bent to a 5 mm radius of curvature. By enabling DEA switching at low voltages, flexible metal-oxide HVTFTs enable complex flexible systems with dozens to hundreds of independent DEAs for applications in haptics, Braille displays, and soft robotics.
Elison de Nazareth Matioli, Luca Nela, Catherine Erine, Maria Vittoria Oropallo