Solution-processable do-it-yourself switching devices (DIY devices) based on CuTCNQ metal-organic semiconductors

The need for technological breakthroughs in materials and device concepts has led to the exploration of new materials and processes for device fabrication. There is an emerging interest in developing easy-to-use kits that can be used to develop complex devices in our backyards. While the availability of DIYbio (do-it-yourself Biology) kits has turned complex biology requiring advanced skills to accessible biology requiring minimal skills; such concepts remain rather untested for DIYnano-electronics. The current study, for the first time, reports a DIY 'Paste/Cut/Grow' approach to fabricate solution-processable electrical switching devices. We employ routinely available raw materials such as a copper tape and surgical blade to avoid complex lithography processes while growing metal-organic semiconductor of CuTCNQ as an active component on these devices. The kinetic barriers that posed synthesis challenges were overcome by developing a multi-cycling strategy that allowed high aspect CuTCNQ electrical switches to be laterally grown across 100 μm cavity between the electrodes. These solution-processable electrical switches show consistent performance across multiple cycles of testing, offering a new potential of the proposed approach in developing complex systems in resource-limited settings.