Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Contact Effects in Organic Thin-Film Transistors: Device Physics and Modeling

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Handbook of Visual Display Technology

  • 257 Accesses

Abstract

The electrical characteristics of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) are frequently affected by contact effects, which can seriously reduce the transistor performance. The importance of the contact resistance, R c , is more relevant in the case of high carrier mobility and/or small channel length devices, where its value may become comparable or even larger than the channel resistance. R c appears to be strongly affected by the device architecture, and much higher R c values are typically observed, at low-drain voltages, in coplanar structures (i.e., bottom-gate/bottom-contact (BGBC) devices) than in staggered structures (i.e., top-gate/bottom-contact (TGBC) devices). The presence of Schottky barriers, trap states, field dependence of carrier mobility, and defected regions near the electrodes has been suggested as the origin of R c .

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Further Reading

  • Abdinia S, Torricelli F, Maiellaro G, Coppard R, Daami A, Jacob S, Mariucci L, Palmisano G, Ragonese E, Tramontana F, van Roermund AHM, Cantatore E (2014) Variation-based design of an AM demodulator in a printed complementary organic technology. Org Electron 15:904–912

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ante F, Kälblein D, Zaki T, Zschieschang U, Takimiya K, Ikeda M, Sekitani T, Someya T, Burghartz JN, Kern K, Klauk H (2012) Contact resistance and megahertz operation of aggressively scaled organic transistors. Small 8:73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berger HH (1972) Model for contacts to planar devices. Solid State Electron 15:145–158

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blanchet GB, Fincher CR, Lefenfeld M (2004) J. A. Rogers, contact resistance in organic thin film transistors. Appl Phys Lett 84:2964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bock PDV, Kunze U, Käfer D, Witte G, Wöll C (2006) Improved morphology and charge carrier injection in pentacene field-effect transistors with thiol-treated electrodes. J Appl Phys 100:114517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bullejos P, Tejada JAJ, Rodríguez-Bolívar S, Deen MJ, Marinov O (2009) Model for the injection of charge through the contacts of organic transistors. J Appl Phys 105:084516.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bürgi L, Sirringhaus H, Friend RH (2002) Noncontact potentiometry of polymer field-effect transistors. Appl Phys Lett 80:2913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiang C-S, Martin S, Kanicki J, Ugai Y, Yukawa T, Takeuchi S (1998) Top-gate staggered amorphous silicon thin-film transistors: Series resistance and nitride thickness effects. Jpn J Appl Phys 37:5914–5920

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppedè N, Tarabella G, Villani M, Calestani D, Iannotta S, Zappettini A (2014) Human stress monitoring through an organic cotton-fiber biosensor. J Mater Chem B 2:5620

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dong H, Fu X, Liu J, Wang Z, Hu W (2013) 25th anniversary article: key points for high-mobility organic field-effect transistors. Adv Mater 25:6158–6183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guo X, Facchetti A, Marks TJ (2014) Imide- and amide-functionalized polymer semiconductors. Chem Rev 114:8943–9021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gupta D, Katiyar M, Gupta D (2009) An analysis of the difference in behavior of top and bottom contact organic thin film transistors using device simulation. Org Electron 10:775–784

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamadani BH, Natelson D (2005) Nonlinear charge injection in organic field-effect transistors. J Appl Phys 97:064508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammock ML, Chortos A, Tee BC-K, Tok JB-H, Bao Z (2013) 25th anniversary article: the evolution of electronic skin (E-skin): a brief history, design considerations, and recent progress. Adv Mater 25:5997–6038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hong J-P, Park A-Y, Lee S, Kang J, Shin N, Yoon DY (2008) Tuning of Ag work functions by self-assembled monolayers of aromatic thiols for an efficient hole injection for solution processed triisopropylsilylethynyl pentacene organic thin film transistors. Appl Phys Lett 92:143311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacob S, Abdinia S, Benwadih M, Bablet J, Chartier I, Gwoziecki R, Cantatore E, van Roermund AHM, Maddiona L, Tramontana F, Maiellaro G, Mariucci L, Rapisarda M, Palmisano G, Coppard R (2013) High performance printed n and p-type OTFTs enabling digital and analog complementary circuits on flexible plastic substrate. Solid State Electron 84:167–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jung K-D, Kim YC, Shin H, Park B-G, Lee JD, Cho ES, Kwon SJ (2010) A study on the carrier injection mechanism of the bottom-contact pentacene thin film transistor. Appl Phys Lett 96:103305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaltenbrunner M, Sekitani T, Reeder J, Yokota T, Kuribara K, Tokuhara T, Drack M, Schwödiauer R, Graz I, Bauer-Gogonea S, Bauer S, Someya T (2013) An ultra-lightweight design for imperceptible plastic electronics. Nature 499(458):2013

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang MJ, Doi I, Mori H, Miyazaki E, Takimiya K, Ikeda M, Kuwabara H (2011) Alkylated dinaphtho[2,3-b:2′,3′-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes (Cn-DNTTs): organic semiconductors for high-performance thin-film transistors. Adv Mater 23:1222–1225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khodagholy D, Rivnay J, Sessolo M, Gurfinkel M, Leleux P, Jimison LH, Stavrinidou E, Herve T, Sanaur S, Owens RM, Malliaras GG (2013) High transconductance organic electrochemical transistors. Nat Commun 4:2133

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim CH, Bonnassieux Y, Horowitz G (2013) Charge distribution and contact resistance model for coplanar organic field-effect transistors. IEEE Trans on Electron Device 60:280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klauk H, Schmid G, Radlik W, Weber W, Zhou L, Sheraw CD, Nichols JA, Jackson TN (2003) Contact resistance in organic thin film transistors. Solid State Electron 47:297–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kumar B, Kaushik BK, Negi YS, Saxena S, Varma GD (2013) Analytical modelling and parameter extraction of top and bottom contact structures of organic thin film transistors. Microelectron J 44:736–743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuribara K, Wang H, Uchiyama N, Fukuda K, Yokota T, Zschieschang U, Jaye C, Fischer D, Klauk H, Yamamoto T, Takimiya K, Ikeda M, Kuwabara H, Sekitani T, Loo Y-L, Someya T (2012) Organic transistors with high thermal stability for medical applications. Nat Commun 3:723

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li T, Ruden PP, Campbell IH, Smith DL (2003) Investigation of bottom-contact organic field effect transistors by two-dimensional device modelling. J Appl Phys 93:4017–4022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Zhao Y, Tan HS, Guo Y, Di C-A, Yu G, Liu Y, Lin M, Lim SH, Zhou Y, Su H, Ong BS (2012) A stable solution-processed polymer semiconductor with record high-mobility for printed transistors. Sci Rep 2:754

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin P, Yan F, Yu JJ, Chan HLW, Yang M (2010) The application of organic electrochemical transistors in cell-based biosensors. Adv Mater 22:3655–3660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luan SW, Neudeck GW (1992) An experimental study of the source/drain parasitic resistance effects in amorphous silicon thin film transistors. J Appl Phys 72:766

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mabeck JT, Malliaras GG (2006) Chemical and biological sensors based on organic thin-film transistors. Anal Bioanal Chem 384:343–353

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mariucci L, Rapisarda M, Valletta A, Jacob S, Benwadih M, Fortunato G (2013) Current spreading effects in fully printed p-channel organic thin film transistors with Schottky source–drain contacts. Org Electron 14:86–93

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murrmann H, Widmann D (1969) Current crowding on metal contacts to planer devices. Dig Tech Pap. ISSCC: 162

    Google Scholar 

  • Natali D, Fumagalli L, Sampietro M (2007) Modeling of organic thin film transistors: effect of contact resistances. J Appl Phys 101:014501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Necliudov PV, Shur MS, Gundlach DJ, Jackson TN (2003) Contact resistance extraction in pentacene thin film transistors. Solid State Electron 47:259–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noda K, Wada Y, Toyabe T (2014) Intrinsic difference in Schottky barrier effect for device configuration of organic thin-film transistors. Org Electron 15:1571–1578

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pesavento PV, Chesterfield RJ, Newman CR, Frisbie CD (2004) Gated four-probe measurements on pentacene thin-film transistors: contact resistance as a function of gate voltage and temperature. J Appl Phys 96:7312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petrovic A, Pavlica E, Bratina G, Carpentiero A, Tormen M (2009) Contact resistance in organic thin film transistors. Synth Met 159:1210–1214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapisarda M, Simeone D, Fortunato G, Valletta A, Mariucci L (2011) Pentacene thin film transistors with (polytetrafluoroethylene) PTFE-like encapsulation layer. Org Electron 12:119–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapisarda M, Valletta A, Daami A, Jacob S, Benwadih M, Coppard R, Fortunato G, Mariucci L (2012) Analysis of contact effects in fully printed p-channel organic thin film transistors. Org Electron 13:2017–2027

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rapisarda M, Calvi S, Valletta A, Fortunato G, Mariucci L (2015) The role of defective regions near the contacts on the electrical characteristics of bottom-gate bottom-contact organic TFTs. J Disp Technol 12:252–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Risteska A, Steudel S, Nakamura M, Knipp D (2014) Structural ordering versus energy band alignment: effects of self-assembled monolayers on the metal/semiconductor interfaces of small molecule organic thin-film transistors. Org Electron 15:3723–3728

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rivnay J, Owens RM, Malliaras GG (2014) The rise of organic bioelectronics. Chem Mater 26:679685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rose A (1955) Space-charge-limited currents in solids. Phys Rev 97:1538

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz AR, Choudhary D, Nickel B, Toccoli T, Chang K-C, Mayer AC, Clancy P, Blakely JM, Headrick RL, Iannotta S, Malliaras GG (2004) Pentacene thin film growth. Chem Mater 16:4497–4508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheinert S, Paasch G (2009) Interdependence of contact properties and field- and density-dependent mobility in organic field-effect transistors. J Appl Phys 105:014509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott JC, Malliaras GG (1999) Charge injection and recombination at the metal–organic interface. Chem Phys Lett 299:115–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sekitani T, Someya T (2010) Stretchable, large-area organic electronics. Adv Mater 22:2228–2246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sekitani T, Zschieschang U, Klauk H, Someya T (2010) Flexible organic transistors and circuits with extreme bending stability. Nat Mater 9:1015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sou A, Jung S, Gili E, Pecunia V, Joimel J, Fichet G, Sirringhaus H (2014) Programmable logic circuits for functional integrated smart plastic systems. Org Electron 15:3111–3119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tybrandt K, Forchheimer R, Berggren M (2012) Logic gates based on ion transistors. Nat Commun 3:871

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valletta A, Daami A, Benwadih M, Coppard R, Fortunato G, Rapisarda M, Torricelli F, Mariucci L (2011) Contact effects in high performance fully printed p-channel organic thin film transistors. Appl Phys Lett 99:233309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang W, Li L, Ji Z, Ye T, Lu N, Li Z, Li D, Liu M (2013) Modified transmission line model for bottom-contact organic transistors. IEEE Electron Device Lett 34:1301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White HS, Kittlesen GP, Wrighton MS (1984) Chemical derivatization of an array of 3 gold microelectrodes with polypyrrole – fabrication of a molecule-based transistor. J Am Chem Soc 106:5375–5377

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Y, Minari T, Tsukagoshi K, Chroboczek JA, Ghibaudo G (2010) Direct evaluation of low-field mobility and access resistance in pentacene field-effect Transistors. J Appl Phys 107:114507

    Article  Google Scholar 

The following papers provide more insight into charge injection and contact resistance

  • Bürgi L, Richards TJ, Friend RH, Sirringhaus H (2003) Close look at charge carrier injection in polymer field-effect transistors. J Appl Phys 94:6129–6136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marinkovic M, Belaineh D, Wagner V, Knipp D (2012) On the origin of contact resistances of organic thin film transistors. Adv Mater 24:4005–4009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Natali D, Caironi M (2012) Charge injection in solution-processed organic field-effect transistors: physics, models and characterization methods. Adv Mater 24:1357–1387

    Article  Google Scholar 

The following paper is a recent review on the innovative developments of contact engineering

  • Liu C, Xu Y, Noh Y-Y (2015) Contact engineering in organic field-effect transistors. Mater Today 18:79–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

An exhaustive review on metal-organic interface can be found in

  • Hwang J, Wan A, Kahn A (2009) Energetics of metal–organic interfaces: new experiments and assessment of the field. Mater Sci Eng R 64:1–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

More detail about the dependence of contact resistance on device structures can be found in:

  • Brondijk JJ, Torricelli F, Smits ECP, Blom PWM, de Leeuw DM (2012) Gate-bias assisted charge injection in organic field-effect transistors. Org Electron 13:1526–1531

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gundlach DJ, Zhou L, Nichols JA, Jackson TN, Necliudov PV, Shur MS (2006) An experimental study of contact effects in organic thin film transistors. J Appl Phys 100:024509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim CH, Bonnassieux Y, Horowitz G (2011) Fundamental benefits of the staggered geometry for organic field-effect transistors. IEEE Electron Device Lett 32:1302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards TJ, Sirringhaus H (2007) Analysis of the contact resistance in staggered, top-gate organic field-effect transistors. J Appl Phys 102:094510

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IMM-CNR, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Luigi Mariucci, Matteo Rapisarda & Antonio Valletta

  2. IMM-CNR, Rome, Italy

    Guglielmo Fortunato

Authors
  1. Luigi Mariucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matteo Rapisarda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Antonio Valletta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guglielmo Fortunato
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luigi Mariucci .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Industrial Technology Research Institute Display Technology Center, Hsin Chu, Taiwan

    Janglin Chen

  2. Nottingham Trent University School of Computing & Informatics, Nottingham, United Kingdom

    Wayne Cranton

  3. Veritas et Visus, Temple, TX, USA

    Mark Fihn

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Cite this entry

Mariucci, L., Rapisarda, M., Valletta, A., Fortunato, G. (2016). Contact Effects in Organic Thin-Film Transistors: Device Physics and Modeling. In: Chen, J., Cranton, W., Fihn, M. (eds) Handbook of Visual Display Technology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35947-7_176-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35947-7_176-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-35947-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation