Single-step solution processing of small-molecule organic semiconductor field-effect transistors at high yield

Here, we report a simple, alternative route towards high-mobility structures of the small-molecular semiconductor 5,11-bis(triethyl silylethynyl) anthradithiophene that requires one single processing step without the need for any post-deposition processing. The method relies on careful control of the casting temperature of the semiconductor and allows rapid production of transistors with uniform and reproducible device performance over large areas. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Self-Suspended Nanomesh Scaffold for Ultrafast Flexible Photodetectors Based on Organic Semiconducting Crystals

Self‐standing nanostructures are of fundamental interest in materials science and nanoscience and are widely used in (opto‐)electronic and photonic devices as well as in micro‐electromechanical systems. To date, large‐area and self‐standing nanoelectrode arrays assembled on flexible substrates have not been reported. Here the fabrication of a hollow nanomesh scaffold on glass and plastic substrates with a large surface area over 1 mm2 and ultralow leakage current density (≈1–10 pA mm−2 @ 2 V) across the empty scaffold is demonstrated. Thanks to the continuous sub‐micrometer space formed in between the nanomesh and the bottom electrode, highly crystalline and dendritic domains of 6,13‐bis(triisopropylsilylethinyl)pentacene growing within the hollow cavity can be observed. The high degree of order at the supramolecular level leads to efficient charge and exciton transport; the photovoltaic detector supported on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates exhibits an ultrafast photoresponse time as short as 8 ns and a signal‐to‐noise ratio approaching 10^5. Such a hollow scaffold holds great potential as a novel device architecture toward flexible (opto‐)electronic applications based on self‐assembled micro/nanocrystals

Fast-Response Photonic Device Based on Organic-Crystal Heterojunctions Assembled into a Vertical-Yet-Open Asymmetric Architecture

Crystalline dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide nanowires and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene microplates are integrated into a vertical-yet-open asymmetrical heterojunction for the realization of a high-performance organic photovoltaic detector, which shows fast photoresponse, ultrahigh signal-to-noise ratio, and high sensitivity to weak light

A nanomesh scaffold for supramolecular nanowire optoelectronic devices

Supramolecular organic nanowires are ideal nanostructures for optoelectronics because they exhibit both efficient exciton generation as a result of their high absorption coefficient and remarkable light sensitivity due to the low number of grain boundaries and high surface-to-volume ratio. To harvest photocurrent directly from supramolecular nanowires it is necessary to wire them up with nanoelectrodes that possess different work functions. However, devising strategies that can connect multiple nanowires at the same time has been challenging. Here, we report a general approach to simultaneously integrate hundreds of supramolecular nanowires of N,N′-dioctyl-3,4,9,10-perylenedicarboximide (PTCDI-C8) in a hexagonal nanomesh scaffold with asymmetric nanoelectrodes. Optimized PTCDI-C8 nanowire photovoltaic devices exhibit a signal-to-noise ratio approaching 107, a photoresponse time as fast as 10 ns and an external quantum efficiency >55%. This nanomesh scaffold can also be used to investigate the fundamental mechanism of photoelectrical conversion in other low-dimensional semiconducting nanostructures

Self-Suspended Nanomesh Scaffold for Ultrafast Flexible Photodetectors Based on Organic Semiconducting Crystals

Self-standing nanostructures are of fundamental interest in materials sci- ence and nanoscience and are widely used in (opto-)electronic and photonic devices as well as in micro-electromechanical systems. To date, large-area and self-standing nanoelectrode arrays assembled on flexible substrates have not been reported. Here the fabrication of a hollow nanomesh scaffold on glass and plastic substrates with a large surface area over 1 mm2 and ultralow leakage current density (≈1–10 pA mm−2 @ 2 V) across the empty scaffold is demonstrated. Thanks to the continuous sub-micrometer space formed in between the nanomesh and the bottom electrode, highly crystalline and dendritic domains of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethinyl)pentacene growing within the hollow cavity can be observed. The high degree of order at the supramolecular level leads to efficient charge and exciton transportthe pho- tovoltaic detector supported on flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrates exhibits an ultrafast photoresponse time as short as 8 ns and a signal-to- noise ratio approaching 105. Such a hollow scaffold holds great potential as a novel device architecture toward flexible (opto-)electronic applications based on self-assembled micro/nanocrystals

The role of charge transfer at reduced graphene oxide/organic semiconductor interface on the charge transport properties

The effect of 1-pyrenesulfonicacid sodium salt (1-PSA), tetracyanoethylene (TCNE) and tetrafluoro- tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) on charge transport properties of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is examined by measuring the transfer characteristics of field-effect transistors and co-planar time-of-flight photocurrent technique. Evidence of p-type doping and a reduction of mobility of electrons in RGO upon deposition of these materials is observed. Time-resolved photocurrent measurements show a reduction in elec- tron mobility even at submonolayer coverage of these materials. The variation of transit time with different coverages reveals that electron mobility decreases with increasing the surface coverage of 1-PSA, TCNE and F4- TCNQ to a certain extent, while at higher coverage the electron mobility is slightly recovered. All three molecules show the same trend in charge carrier mobility variation with coverage, but with different magnitude. Among all three molecules, 1-PSA acts as weak electron acceptor compared to TCNE and F4-TCNQ. The additional fluorine moieties in F4-TCNQ provides excellent electron withdrawing capability compared to TCNE. The experimental results are consistent with the density functional theory calculations

Characterisation of charge carrier transport in thin organic semiconductor T layers by time-of-flight photocurrent measurements

The paper reviews recent advances in characterisation of charge carrier transport in organic semiconductor layers by time-of-flight photocurrent measurements, with the emphasis on the measurements of the samples with co-planar electrodes. These samples comprised an organic semiconductor layer whose thickness is on the order of a μm or less, and thus mimic the structures of organic thin film transistors. In the review we emphasise the importance of considering spatial variation of electric field in these, essentially two-dimensional structures, in interpretation of photocurrent transients. We review the experimental details of this type of measurements and give examples that demonstrate exceptional sensitivity of the method to minute concentration of electrically active defects in the organic semiconductors as well as the capability of probing charge transport along the channels of different mobility that reside in the same sample

Flexible non-volatile optical memory thin-filmtransistor device with over 256 distinct levelsbased on an organic bicomponent blend

Flexible non-volatile optical memory thin-filmtransistor device with over 256 distinct levelsbased on an organic bicomponent blendTim Leydecker1, Martin Herder2, Egon Pavlica3,GvidoBratina3,StefanHecht2*, Emanuele Orgiu1*and Paolo Samorì1*Organic nanomaterials are attracting a great deal of interest for use in flexible electronic applications such as logiccircuits, displays and solar cells. These technologies have already demonstrated good performances, but flexible organicmemories are yet to deliver on all their promise in terms of volatility, operational voltage, write/erase speed, as well asthe number of distinct attainable levels. Here, we report a multilevel non-volatile flexible optical memory thin-filmtransistor based on a blend of a reference polymer semiconductor, namely poly(3-hexylthiophene), and a photochromicdiarylethene, switched with ultraviolet and green light irradiation. A three-terminal device featuring over 256 (8 bitstorage) distinct current levels was fabricated, the memory states of which could be switched with 3 ns laser pulses.We also report robustness over 70 write–erase cycles and non-volatility exceeding 500 days. The device was implementedon a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate, validating the concept for integration into wearable electronics andsmart nanodevices

Enhancement of Charge Transport in Polythiophene Semiconducting Polymer by Blending with Graphene Nanoparticles

This paper describes a study on the charge transport in a composite of liquid‐exfoliated graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) and a polythiophene semiconducting polymer. While the former component is highly conducting, although it consists of isolated nanostructures, the latter offers an efficient charge transport path between the individual GNPs within the film, overall yielding enhanced charge transport properties of the resulting bi‐component system. The electrical characteristics of the composite layers were investigated by means of measurements of time‐of‐flight photoconductivity and transconductance in field‐effect transistors. In order to analyze both phenomena separately, charge density and charge mobility contributions to the conductivity were singled out. With the increasing GNP concentration, the charge mobility was found to increase, thereby reducing the time spent by the carriers on the polymer chains. In addition, for GNP loading above 0.2 % (wt.), an increase of free charge density was observed that highlights an additional key role played by doping. Variable‐range hopping model of a mixed two‐ and three‐dimensional transport is explained using temperature dependence of mobility and free charge density. The temperature variation of free charge density was related to the electron transfer from polythiophene to GNP, with an energy barrier of 24 meV