Transistors are typically based on inorganic or organic semiconductors. Metals have generally been considered unsuitable for such use because bulk metals screen electric fields and thus achieving electrically tunable conductivity is difficult. Alternatively, gradients of counterions in films of metal nanoparticles functionalized with charged organic ligands can be used to construct electronic devices, including resistors, diodes and sensors, but modulating the conductivity in these systems has also proven to be challenging. Here we show that transistors and logic circuits can be created from thin films of functionalized gold nanoparticles using dynamic ionic gradients established via an unconventional five-electrode configuration. The transistors are capable of a 400-fold modulation of electrical conductivity, and by combining with metal nanoparticle diodes and resistors, can be used to construct NOT, NAND and NOR logic gates, as well as a half-adder circuit. We also show that transistors deposited on flexible substrates continue to work when deformed and can withstand electrostatic discharges.

晶体管通常基于无机或有机半导体。金属通常被认为不适合这种用途，因为块状金属会屏蔽电场，因此难以实现电可调的导电性。或者，用带电有机配体功能化的金属纳米颗粒薄膜中的抗衡离子梯度可用于构建电子设备，包括电阻器、二极管和传感器，但在这些系统中调节电导率也被证明具有挑战性。在这里，我们展示了晶体管和逻辑电路可以使用通过非常规五电极配置建立的动态离子梯度从功能化金纳米粒子薄膜中创建。晶体管能够对电导率进行 400 倍调制，并与金属纳米粒子二极管和电阻结合，可用于构建NOT、NAND和NOR逻辑门，以及半加器电路。我们还表明，沉积在柔性基板上的晶体管在变形时继续工作，并且可以承受静电放电。