Large-Area Transient Conductive Films Obtained through Photonic Sintering of 2D Materials

Transient electronics that can chemically or physically disappear after a period of stable operation have been achieved through various metal and semiconductor materials. Despite excellent properties and wide availability of 2D materials and van der Waals (vdW) thin-film electronics, transient films and devices based on them have rarely been reported, not to mention large-area production with high throughput. Here, a photonic sintering approach is developed to achieve large-area transient vdW films that may be used for bioresorbable devices. The approach can process 2D materials such as graphite, graphene, and transition metal sulfide, resulting in continuous films that are 10 x 10 cm(2) in area and approximate to 60 to approximate to 440 nm in thickness on transient substrates. The influence of interfacial adhesion and sintering conditions to the thickness and the electrical properties of transient graphite films is investigated. In addition, the transient films can yield conductive patterns such as biopotential electrodes, interdigital electrodes, and resistor arrays using complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes or a two-step sintering method. The photonic sintering method may eventually lead to large-area transient electronics for innovative applications in healthcare, data security, and consumer electronics, and enrich the category of transient electronics through achievement of more printable transient vdW electronics.