Flexible solution-processed high-voltage organic thin film transistor

Journal of Materials Research volume 33, pages149–160(2018)Cite this article

Abstract

6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) and pentacene-based high-voltage organic thin film transistors (HVOTFTs) have been fabricated on solid and flexible substrates via a low-temperature (<100 °C) solution-processed and vacuum-deposited fabrication method. A high-k dielectric Bi1.5Zn1Nb1.5O7 and an organic dielectric parylene-C have been incorporated into the transistor design. The reliability of the HVOTFTs was analyzed under flexure, where a nonsaturating I–V characteristic behavior was observed. Here, the HVOTFT exhibited a mobility μ of 0.018 cm2/(V s) and a large breakdown voltage of ∣ VDS∣ > 120 V and >550 V for TIPS-pentacene and pentacene devices, respectively. The large breakdown voltages are attributed to an organic semiconductor channel region which is partially gated, allowing for a large potential drop. Thiolphenol-based SAMs were used to help improve charge injection. Electrical measurements were also performed with samples designed with a top metal field plate to improve control of the charge carrier within the channel.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank Dr. Melissa Smith and Dr. Annie Wang for their great insight and guidance in the project, Kurt Broderick, Dennis Ward, and Gary Riggott for all their technical assistance and training done at the Microsystems Technology Laboratories, Whitney Rochelle Hess for her help setting up the surface-assembled monolayer experiment and keeping the lab safe, as well as Dr. Charlie Settens and the Center for Materials Science and Engineering for their assistance in XRD measurements.

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  1. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Microsystems Technology Laboratories, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA

    Andy Shih, Elizabeth Schell & Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwande

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  1. Andy Shih
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  2. Elizabeth Schell
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  3. Akintunde Ibitayo Akinwande
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Correspondence to Andy Shih.

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Shih, A., Schell, E. & Akinwande, A.I. Flexible solution-processed high-voltage organic thin film transistor. Journal of Materials Research 33, 149–160 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2017.428

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