Thieno[3,4‑<i>c</i>]pyrrole-4,6-dione Containing Copolymers for High Performance Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

Thieno­[3,4-<i>c</i>]­pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) containing copolymer semiconductors <b>P1–P3</b> were strategically designed and successfully synthesized. Their physicochemical properties were thoroughly investigated. All polymers exhibited good solution processability and high humidity stability in thin film transistors (TFTs). Transistor electrical characterization showed the device performance was sensitive to the alkyl chain substituent orientations of the polymers. A maximum TFT hole mobility of ∼1.29 cm²/(V s) was observed for <b>P3</b>-based devices, a recorded mobility for TPD containing polymer semiconductors reported to date. The corresponding thin-film morphologies and polymer chains packing were investigated in detail by AFM and 2D-GIXD to correlate with the alkyl orientation-dependent carrier mobility of <b>P1–P3</b>. Experimental results showed the alkyl chain orientations determined the polymer chains packing pattern in the thin films, the film morphologies, and the resulting device performances of <b>P1–P3</b>