Researchers at Oregon State University, in partnership with Hewlett Packard, have developed a new type of material that could be used to produce cheap and stable transparent transistors. This is a major step forward in designing transparent circuits. While these transistors could spawn a whole new industry of transparent electronics, they will probably be used to enhance existing technology first. The new transistors are zinc-tin-oxide thin film transistors. Due to their physical properties, and that they can be produced very cheaply, the article suggests these transistors could be used in disposible or flexible electronics, optical systems and solar cells. The zinc-tin-oxide transistors fall into a new class of "thin-film" materials called amorphous heavy-metal cation multicomponent oxides.