Carrier Transport Enhancement in Conjugated Polymers through Interfacial Self-Assembly of Solution-State Aggregates

We demonstrate that local and long-range orders of poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) semicrystalline films can be synergistically improved by combining chemical functionalization of the substrate with solution-state disentanglement and preaggregation of P3HT in a θ solvent, leading to a very significant enhancement of the field effect carrier mobility. The preaggregation and surface functionalization effects combine to enhance the carrier mobility nearly 100-fold as compared with standard film preparation by spin-coating, and nearly 10-fold increase over the benefits of preaggregation alone. In situ quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) experiments reveal enhanced deposition of preaggregates on surfaces modified with an alkyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) in comparison to unaggregated polymer chains in the same conditions. Additional measurements reveal the combined preaggregation and surface functionalization significantly enhances local order of the conjugated polymer through planarization and extension of the conjugated backbone of the polymer which clearly translate to significant improvements of carrier transport at the semiconductor–dielectric interface in organic thin film transistors. This study points to opportunities in combining complementary routes, such as well-known preaggregation with substrate chemical functionalization, to enhance the polymer self-assembly and improve its interfacial order with benefits for transport properties

Solvent Vapor Annealing in the Molecular Regime Drastically Improves Carrier Transport in Small-Molecule Thin-Film Transistors

We demonstrate a new way to investigate and control the solvent vapor annealing of solution-cast organic semiconductor thin films. Solvent vapor annealing of spin-cast films of 6,13-bis­(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-Pn) is investigated in situ using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) capability, allowing us to monitor both solvent mass uptake and changes in the mechanical rigidity of the film. Using time-resolved grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) and complementary static atomic force microscopy (AFM), we demonstrate that solvent vapor annealing in the molecular regime can cause significant performance improvements in organic thin film transistors (OTFTs), whereas allowing the solvent to percolate and form a liquid phase results in catastrophic reorganization and dewetting of the film, making the process counterproductive. Using these lessons we devise processing conditions which prevent percolation of the adsorbed solvent vapor molecules for extended periods, thus extending the benefits of solvent vapor annealing and improving carrier mobility by nearly two orders of magnitude. Ultimately, it is demonstrated that QCM-D is a very powerful sensor of the state of the adsorbed solvent as well as the thin film, thus making it suitable for process development as well as in-line process monitoring both in laboratory and in future manufacturing settings