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Impact of process parameter modification on poly(3-hexylthiophene) film morphology and charge transportLee, Jiho 13 January 2014 (has links)
Organic electronics based on π-conjugated semi-conductor raises new technology, such as organic film transistors, e-paper, and organic photovoltaic cells that can be implemented cost-effectively on large-area applications. Currently, the device performance is limited by low charge carrier mobility. Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and organic field effect transistors (OFET) is used as a model to investigate morphology of the organic film and corresponding electronic properties. In this thesis, processing parameters such as boiling points and solubility are controlled to impact the micro- and macro-morphology of the film to enhance the charge transport of the device.
Alternative approach to improve ordering of polymer chains and increase in charge transport without post-treatment of P3HT solution is studied. The addition of high boiling good solvent to the relatively low boiling main solvent forms ordered packing of π-conjugated polymers during the deposition process. We show that addition of 1% of dichlorobenzene (DCB) to the chloroform based P3HT solution was sufficient to improve wetting and molecular structures of the film to increase carrier mobility.
Systematic study of solvent-assisted re-annealing technique, which has potential application in OFET encapsulation and fabrication of top-contact OFET, is conducted to improve mobility of OFET, and, to suggest a cost-effective processing condition suitable for industrial application. Three process parameters: boiling point, polarity, and solubility are investigated to further understand the trend of film response to the solvent-assisted technique. We report the high boiling non-polar solvents with relatively high RED values promote highest improvement in molecular packing and formulate crystalline structure of the thin film, which increases the device performance.
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Propriétés physico-chimiques et électroniques des interfaces supramoléculaires hybrides / Physical, chemical and electronic properties of hybrid supramolecular interfacesStoeckel, Marc-Antoine 05 March 2019 (has links)
Le travail réalisé durant cette thèse s’est axé sur la compréhension des mécanismes de transport de charges impliqués dans l’électronique organique ainsi que sur l’ingénierie des propriétés semiconductrices d’interfaces supramoléculaires hybrides. Tout d’abord, l’origine intrinsèque des propriétés de transport de charges a été étudiée dans de petites molécules semiconductrices, similaires en structure chimiques, mais présentant des propriétés électriques nettement différentes. Puis, les propriétés électroniques de matériaux 2D ont été modulées à l’aide de monocouches auto-assemblées induisant des propriétés de dopage antagonistes. Enfin, des pérovskites hybrides ainsi que des petites molécules semiconductrices ont été utilisées comme matériaux actifs dans la détection d’oxygène et d’humidité, respectivement, formant alors des détecteurs à haute performance. L’ensemble de ces projets utilise les principes de la chimie supramoléculaire dans leur réalisation. / The work realized during this thesis was oriented toward the comprehension of the charge transport mechanism involved in organic electronics, and on the engineering of the semiconducting properties of hybrid supramolecular interfaces. Firstly, the intrinsic origin of the charge transport properties was studied for two semiconducting small molecules which are similar in terms of chemical structure but exhibit different electrical properties. Secondly, the electronic properties of 2D material were modulated with the help of self-assembled monolayers inducing antagonist doping properties. Finally, hybrid perovskites and semiconducting small molecules were used as active materials in oxygen and humidity sensing respectively, forming high-performance sensors. All the project employed the principles of the supramolecular chemistry in their realisation.
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Correlation between structural and electrical properties of organic semiconducting materials / Corrélation entre les propriétés structurelles et électriques des matériaux semi-conducteurs organiquesFerlauto, Laura 25 February 2015 (has links)
Cette thèse présents plusieurs techniques de caractérisation appliqués à diverses matières organiques dans le but de démêler leur structure-propriétés relation once encapsulés comme matériaux actifs dans les dispositifs de OFET. Un soin particulier est alors dédié aux méthodes de caractérisation structurale (2D-GIXRD, XRR et XRD) à la fois de source de laboratoire classique et de rayonnement de synchrotron. Divers matériaux polymères organiques, compris de p- et n-type de petites molécules et polymères en solution ou déposés par sublimation sous vide sont étudiées. En particulier, l'étude de OFET basée sur deux fonctionnalisés isomères péryléne ne différant que par la forme des alkyle côté chaînes démontre comment la nature ramifié et asymétrique des chaînes peut conduire à une amélioration de la performance électrique avec un simple traitement thermique post-dépôt, tandis que la fabrication de dispositifs ambipolaire polymères au moyen de la technique Langmuir-Schaefer souligne l'importance de la méthode de dépôt sur l'agencement de la matière sur la surface du substrat. Une approche inhabituelle, nommé enquête structurelle in_situ et en temps réel, est aussi présenté pour évaluer les modifications structurelles dans les films minces organiques subissent un processus particulier. Plus précisément, la réponse de la structure des films minces de pentacene à l’application de VSG et VSD au OFET et des films minces dérivés de TTF à la variation d’humidité ont été étudiés. / This thesis presents multiple characterization techniques applied to various organic materials with the ultimate goal of unraveling their structure-properties relationship once encapsulated as active materials in OFETs devices. Particular care is then dedicated to the structural characterization methods (2D-GIXRD, XRR and XRD) both from classical laboratory source and from synchrotron radiation. Various organic materials, comprising p- and n-type small molecules and polymers deposited from solution or by vacuum sublimation are investigated. In particular, the study on OFETs based two functionalized perylene isomers differing only in the shape of the alkyl side-chians demonstrates how the branched and asymmetric nature of the chains can lead to an improvement of the electrical performance with a simple post-deposition thermal treatment, while the fabrication of ambipolar polymeric devices by means of Langmir-Schaefer technique highligts the importance of the deposition method on the arrangement of the material on the substrate surface. A more unusual approach, named in-situ and real-time structural investigation, is also presented to evaluate structural modifications in organic thin films undergoing a particular process. Specifically, the structural responce of pentacene thin films to the application of VSG and VSD to the OFET and of TTF derivatives thin films to the variation of humidty were investigated.
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New platforms for electronic devices: n-channel organic field-effect transistors, complementary circuits, and nanowire transistors / N-channel organic field-effect transistors, complementary circuits, and nanowire transistorsYoo, Byungwook, 1975- 28 August 2008 (has links)
This work focused on the fabrication and electrical characterization of electronic devices and the applications include the n-channel organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), organic complementary circuits, and the germanium nanowire transistors. In organic devices, carbonyl-functionalized [alpha],[omega]-diperfluorohexyl quaterthiophenes (DFHCO-4T) and N,N' --bis(n-octyl)-dicyanoperylene-3,4:9,10-bis(dicarboximide) (PDI-8CN2) are used as n-type semiconductors. The effect of dielectric/electrode surface treatment on the response of bottom-contact devices was also examined to maximize the device performance. Some of innovative techniques that employ the conducting polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) / poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) for the fabrication of OFETs, were compared and investigated. The device performance and the fabrication yield were also considered. Organic complementary ring oscillators and D flip-flops were demonstrated with PDI-8CN2 and pentacene as the n-type and ptype material, respectively. Both circuits recorded the highest speed that any organic transistor-based complementary circuit has achieved to date. The speed of these complementary circuits will be enhanced by increasing the mobility of n-channel further as well as reducing channel lengths and overlap capacitances between the source/drain electrodes and the gate. The semiconductors should be solution processible to be compatible with the inexpensive fabrication techniques envisioned for printed electronic circuits. PDI-8CN2 was used for solution-processed n-channel OFETs and the various parameters are compared for the optimization of devices. Utilizing optimized process parameters and surface treatments for solution-deposited PDI-8CN2 OFETs, we have successfully shown the first fabrication of complementary organic ring oscillators and Dflip flops by the micro-injection of the solution of both p-type and n-type materials in air. One of the potential platforms for low cost fabrication on flexible substrates is the use of inorganic semiconductor nanowires. Accordingly, the germanium nanowire FETs were fabricated and characterized. Conductivity enhanced PEDOT/PSS was employed as the electrode material for nanowire transistors to improve the electrical contacts to the source and drain. / text
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Transistors à effet de champ : étude des interfaces et amélioration des performances / Organic field effect transistors : interfaces characterization and performances improvementDevynck, Mélanie 11 September 2012 (has links)
Ce travail porte sur l’étude des interfaces semi-conducteur/diélectrique et semiconducteur/électrode dans les transistors organiques à effet de champ (OFETs). En effet, le transport et l’injection des charges se trouvent affectés par la qualité de ces interfaces.L’objectif est donc la compréhension de l’influence des caractéristiques morphologiques(rugosité, énergie de surface) et électroniques (travail de sortie) du diélectrique ou del’électrode sur les performances des OFETs.Dans un premier temps, des OFETs sur substrats de silicium à base de pentacène ontété fabriqués et les interfaces traitées à l’aide de monocouches auto-assemblées (SAMs). Legreffage des SAMs tels que l’OTS8 ou l’OTS, en neutralisant les groupes hydroxyles et enprésentant une surface apolaire, conduit à une réduction de la densité de pièges en surface. Deplus, les pièges présents dans la couche active et dus aux joints de grains sont moinsnombreux grâce à une croissance 2D en larges grains du pentacène sur OTS. Cesmodifications de l’interface sont mises en évidence par une réduction de la tension de seuil,de la pente sous le seuil ainsi que de l’hystérésis. Le transport ainsi favorisé des chargespermet une amélioration de la mobilité jusqu’à 0,6 cm2/Vs.Nous nous sommes également intéressés à l’interface semi-conducteur/électrode et àsa modification par des SAMs fluorés tels que le PFBT, le PFHT et le PFDT. L’influence desSAMs est présente tant au niveau morphologique, en améliorant la continuité de croissance dupentacène à la jonction diélectrique/électrode qu’au niveau électronique en augmentant letravail de sortie de l’électrode. La réduction de la résistance de contact RC souligne clairementces modifications et conduit à des mobilités maximales de 0,6 cm2/Vs. Par la suite, nousavons choisi de modifier ces deux interfaces dans un même dispositif, ce qui nous a permisd’atteindre des mobilités moyennes élevées de 1,3 cm2/Vs.La dernière partie de ces travaux a été dédiée à la fabrication d’OFETs basse tension àbase de pentacène ou de C60 sur substrats de verre. Le caractère basse tension de cesdispositifs est rempli grâce à l’utilisation d’un diélectrique composé de deux couches : undiélectrique à forte constante diélectrique, l’oxyde d’aluminium, et une fine couche d’undiélectrique à faible constante diélectrique comme les SAMs (C8-PA ou C18-PA) ou lespolymères (PMMA ou PVT). Cette combinaison permet d’atteindre des mobilités(m = 0,4 cm2/Vs) encourageantes pour des OFETs de type n ainsi que de faibles hystérésis(<0,1 V) dans le cas d’OFETs de type p. / The charge transport and injection are strongly dependant of the semiconductor/dielectric and semi-conductor/electrode interfaces quality. Therefore, this studyfocuses on these interfaces in organic field effect transistors (OFETs). The goal is theunderstanding of the relation between the dielectric (roughness, surface energy) or electrode(work function) characteristics and the OFETs performances.First, we investigate the influence of the interfaces modification by SAMs (SelfAssembled Monolayers) in pentacene based OFETs on silicon substrates. Due to the SAMsgrafting such as OTS8 or OTS, the hydroxyls groups are neutralized and the dielectric showsan apolar surface leading to the reduction of the charge traps density. Moreover, a 2Dpentacene growth with large grains on OTS surface contributes to the decrease of the chargetraps density in the bulk. The threshold voltage, subthreshold swing and hysteresis decreasesgive rise to these modifications. The improvement of the charge transport allows us to reachmobility up to 0.6 cm2/Vs.Then, we investigate the electrode surface treatment by fluorinated SAMs such asPFBT, PFHT or PFDT. The better pentacene layer continuity and the increased electrodework function emphasize the morphologic and electronic influences of the SAMs. Thesemodifications lead to the contact resistance reducing and in consequence to an enhancedmobility up to 0.6 cm2/Vs. Finally, devices with a combination of the interfaces treatmentpresent high mean mobility of 1.3 cm2/Vs.On the final part of this study, we concentrate on low voltage C60 or pentacene basedOFETs on glass substrates. Using a dielectric composed of a high-k dielectric as AlOx and athin layer of a low-k dielectric such as phosphonic SAMs (C8-PA or C18-PA) or polymers(PMMA or PVT) allow us to achieve this low voltage condition. The mobility obtained withn-type OFETs (m = 0.4 cm2/Vs) and the small hysteresis (<0.1 V) in p-type OFETs arepromising.
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Thin films of polythiophenes oriented by epitaxy and high-temperature rubbing : correlations with optical, charge-transport and thermoelectrical properties / Films minces de polythiophènes orientés par épitaxie et brossage à haute temperature : corrélation avec les propriétés optiques, de transport de charge et thermoélectriquesHamidi Sakr, Amer 13 October 2017 (has links)
Le but de cette thèse est d'étudier l'effet de l’alignement et le contrôle de la morphologie de films minces de polythiophènes et de les corréler avec les propriétés optiques, de transport de charges et thermoélectriques. Puisque les polymères semiconducteurs sont intrinsèquement anisotropes, il est essentiel de les aligner afin de comprendre leur propriétés. Cette étude a été réalisée en employant deux techniques qui ont permises d’obtenir des films minces orientés. Le brossage à haute température et la cristallisation épitaxiale directionnelle (CED) ont conduit à des films de polythiophène hautement orientés avec des paramètres d'ordre allant jusqu'à 0.87 et des taux de crystallinité jusqu'à 65%. La technique de brossage nous a permis de contrôler avec précision les tailles des domaines cristallins dans des films de P3HT brossés. Par cette méthode, nous avons pu également déterminer les températures de fusion à l'équilibre de différents poly(3-alkyl-thiophène). Nous avons appris que la largeur de bande du couplage excitonique W dépend des dimensions des cristaux dans les films minces brossés. Cette étude à aussi montrer l’importance de la planarité des chaînes pontant les domaines cristallins à travers les zones amorphes sur les propriétés de transport de charges. Nous avons également mis en évidence la morphologie particulière du poly (3-butylthiophène) (P3BT) et le rôle des groupements butyles. La méthode de cristallisation epitaxialle a été utilisée pour orienter des films de poly(3-dioctylphenyl-thiophène) (PDOPT). Nous avons examiné l'effet de la masse moléculaire du PDOPT sur le degré de cristallinité et l'alignement. Ceci nous a permis de proposer un modèle structural montrant l’absence de pi-stacking dans ce polythiophène. Finalement, nous proposons une méthode en deux étapes d’élaboration de films minces conducteurs alignés. Le brossage des films puis le dopage des polymères semiconducteurs de type-P a permis d’obtenir des propriétés thermoélectriques anisotropes améliorées.Cette thèse démontre l'importance du contrôle de la morphologie et de l'alignement des polymères semiconducteurs et conducteurs pour comprendre leurs propriétés fortement anisotropes. / The aim of this thesis is to study the effect of alignment and morphological control on polythiophene thin films and to correlate this control with the optical, charge transport and thermoelectric properties. Since semiconducting polymers are inherently anisotropic by nature, studying these polymers in the aligned state was essential to understand their properties. This study could be achieved by employing two techniques that are successful in orienting polymers in thin films. High-temperature rubbing (HTR) along with directional epitaxial crystallization (DEC) produced highly oriented polythiophene thin films with order parameters reaching 0.87 and crystallinities up to 65%. HTR was a successful method to control crystal sizes in rubbed poly(3-hexyl-thiophene) P3HT films. By this method, the equilibrium melting temperatures of other poly(3-alkyl-thiophene) P3ATs were calculated. We learned that the free excitonic bandwidth depends on the crystal dimensions in the rubbed thin films. We also learned that the planarity of tie-chains linking consecutive crystalline domains plays a very important role in field-effect mobility. We also discuss the peculiar morphology of poly(3-butyl-thiophene) (P3BT) and the role of the butyl side groups. Then DEC method was proposed to orient poly(3-dioctylphenyl-thiophene) (PDOPT) thin films. We examined the effect of molecular weight of PDOPT on the level of crystallinity and alignment. Consequently, this relation provided fundamental information that helped us refine the crystal structure of PDOPT. Finally, a versatile method to produce highly aligned conducting polymers was proposed. HTR followed by P-type doping proved to be an excellent way to produce highly aligned conducting thin films with enhanced thermoelectric properties. This thesis brings value to the importance of morphology control and the alignment of semiconducting thin films to understand the various properties of these highly anisotropic systems.
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Développement d’amplificateurs sur substrats flexibles à partir de transistors organiques à effet de champ / Development of flexible organic field effect transistors amplifiersHouin, Geoffroy 16 May 2017 (has links)
Les transistors organiques à effet de champ (OFETs) ont aujourd’hui des performances qui permettent d’envisager la réalisation de circuits électroniques plus ou moins complexes. Cependant, ces dispositifs doivent encore être améliorés en termes de performance et de stabilité sous air avant d’être commercialisés. Le premier objectif de cette thèse est de réaliser des OFETs stables à l’air avec des performances atteignant l’état de l’art, tout en simplifiant leur procédé de fabrication. Le dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3'-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT),petite molécule référence, a été choisie comme couche active des dispositifs pour chaque étude. En insérant une couche interfaciale d’oxyde entre le matériau de contact et le SCO de nos OFETs, une étude a été menée sur la réduction de la résistance de contact, qui affecte la mobilité effective des porteurs de charge mais peut également compliquer l’élaboration de circuits. Dans le but de réaliser des OFETs sur substrats flexibles opérant à de faibles tensions,un travail a été réalisé sur le dépôt d’un diélectrique à forte capacité dont la surface a ensuite été passivée et lissée par un polymère. Les transistors de type p obtenus présentent des performances hautes en termes de mobilité (2,4 cm2.V-1.s-1) et de ratio des courant On/Off (>106) avec une faible tension de seuil et aucune hystérésis. Le second objectif a été de réaliser des simulations sur ces OFETs optimisés avec le logiciel GoldenGate dans l’environnement Cadence Virtuoso®, pour obtenir les paramètres nécessaires à l’élaboration d’un circuit amplificateur. Enfin, des composants passifs (résistances) ont été développés et un circuit détecteur d’amplitude sur substrat flexible a été élaboré et testé. / Organic field effect transistors (OFETs) have huge potential in the applications of future electronics, such as flexible circuits and displays or medical application. However, stability and performances of OFETs need to be improved, so as to reach the real market applications.First objective of this work is to realize air stable OFETs with state of the art performance. To that end, several approaches have been applied with special focus on process simplification. Small molecule, dinaphtho[2,3-b:2',3‘-f]thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT) has been chosen as the active layer for all devices studies. Metal electrodes in combination with oxide interfacial layers were investigated to decrease the contact resistance, which not only affects eventual mobility that can be achieved but also complicates circuit design. A systematic study was carried out to fabricate high capacitance dielectric layer and passivating the surface with proper interfacial layers. These approaches allowed to obtain high performance OFET on plastic substrate with high mobility (2.4cm2.V-1.s-1), high current on/off ratio (> 106), low threshold voltage and no hysteresis As the second objective, OFET devices were simulated using GoldenGate (with Cadence Virtuoso® environment) to derive relevant parameters, which helped to design amplifier circuit. Finally, passive component (resistance) has been developed and final circuit was realized and characterized.
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OTFTs de type N à base de semiconducteurs π-conjugués : fabrication, performance et stabilité / N-type OTFTs based on π-conjugated semiconductors : elaboration, performance and stabilityBebiche, Sarah 06 November 2015 (has links)
L'objectif de ce travail de recherche est l'élaboration et l'optimisation de transistors à effet de champ organiques de type N (OTFTs). Des transistors en structure Bottom Gate Bottom Contact sont fabriqués à basse température T<120°C. Trois différentes molécules organiques conductrices d'électrons, déposées par évaporation thermiques, sont utilisées pour la couche active. Les OTFTs à base de la première molécule à corps LPP présentent de faibles mobilités à effet de champ de l'ordre de 10-5cm2/V.s. L'étude d'optimisation menée sur les conditions de dépôt de cette dernière n'a pas permis d'améliorer ses performances électriques. L'étude de stabilité électrique ''Gate Bias Stress'' a mis en évidence les instabilités de cette molécule. Les OTFTs à base des deux dérivés indénofluorènes (IF) possèdent des mobilités plus importantes. Dans les conditions optimales la molécule IF(CN2)2 méta permet d'atteindre une mobilité d'effet de champ µFE=2.1x10-4 cm2/V, alors que la molécule IF(CN2)2 para permet d'obtenir des mobilités µFE=1x10-2cm2/V.s après recuit. L'étude de stabilité électrique a mis en évidence une meilleure stabilité des OTFTs à base de IF(CN2)2 para. Une étude des phénomènes de transport de charges est menée pour les deux types de molécules. Les OTFTs de type N réalisés sont utilisés pour la réalisation d'un circuit logique de type inverseur pseudo-CMOS. Finalement, ce procédé basse température nous a permis de réaliser des OTFTs sur substrat flexible. / The main goal of this present work consists in the fabrication and optimization of N type organic field effect transistors. Bottom Gate Bottom Contact transistors are performed at low temperature T<120°C. Three different electro-deficient organic molecules are thermally evaporated and used as active layer. OTFTs based on LPP core molecule present low field effect mobility around 10-5cm2/V.s. The optimization study investigated on deposition parameters of this molecule on OTFTs performances does not allow improving this mobility. Moreover gate bias stress measurements reveal important instabilities related to this molecule. Indenfluorene derivatives core (IF) based OTFTs show better performances. Field effect mobility µFE=2.1x10-4 cm2/V is reached using IF(CN2)2 meta in optimized deposition conditions and µFE=1x10-2 cm2/V.s is obtained using IF(CN2)2 para after annealing treatment. The investigated gate bias stress study highlights the good electrical stability of IF(CN2)2 para based OTFTs. Temperature measurements allow us studying the charge transport phenomenon in these indenofluorene derivatives. Fabricated N-type OTFTs are used to perform a first electronic circuit that consists in a logic gate (invertor).Finally this low temperature process led us to achieve OTFTs devices on flexible substrates (PEN).
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Triimine Complexes of Divalent Group 10 Metals for Use in Molecular Electronic DevicesChen, Wei-Hsuan 08 1900 (has links)
This research focused on the development of new metal triimine complexes of Pt(II), Pd(II), and Ni(II) for use in three types of molecular electronic devices: dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and organic field effect transistors (OFETs). Inorganic complexes combine many advantages of their chemical and photophysical properties and are processable on inexpensive and large area substrates for various optoelectronic applications. For DSSCs, a series of platinum (II) triimine complexes were synthesized and evaluated as dyes for nanocrystalline oxide semiconductors. Pt (II) forms four coordinate square planar complexes with various co-ligands and counterions and leads to spanning absorption across a wide range in the UV-Vis-NIR regions. When those compounds were applied to the oxide semiconductors, they led to photocurrent generation thus verifying the concept of their utility in solar cells. In the OLEDs project, a novel pyridyl-triazolate Pt(II) complex, Pt(ptp)2 was synthesized and generated breakthrough OLEDs. In the solution state, the electronic absorption and emission of the square planar structure results in metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) and an aggregation band. Tunable photoluminescence and electroluminescence colors from blue to red wavelengths have been attained upon using Pt(ptp)2 under different experimental conditions and OLED architectures. In taking advantage of these binary characteristics for both monomer and excimer emissions, cool and warm white OLEDs suitable for solid-state lighting have been fabricated. The OFETs project represented an extension of the study of pyridyl-triazolate d8 metal complexes due to their electron-transporting behavior and n-type properties. A prescreening step by using thermogravimetric calorimetry has demonstrated the stability of all three M(ptp)2 and M(ptp)2(py)2 compounds and their amenability to sublimation. Preliminary current-voltage measurements from simple diodes has achieved unidirectional current from a Pt(ptp)2 neat layer and demonstrated its n-type semiconducting behavior.
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Semiconducting Organosilicon-based Hybrids for the Next Generation of Stretchable ElectronicsDitte, Kristina 12 May 2023 (has links)
During past years, organic-based electronic devices revealed high promise to supplement the ubiquitous silicon-based electronic devices and enable new fields of applications. At the center of this development is the considerable progress regarding π-conjugated polymer semiconductors (PSCs): Due to their processability from solution, light-weight, as well as low-cost, PSCs are now evolving towards production-scale of new technologies, e.g., in organic solar cells (OSCs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Especially OFETs are of fundamental importance, as they constitute the switching units in all logic circuits and display technologies.
However, the future world is expected to be full with smart electronics and communication devices integrated in clothes, tools and even interacting with the human body, e.g., as on-skin wearable sensors. For this the electrically-active material, just as a human tissue, requires to combine several properties in addition to being charge conducting: They need to show (i) mechanical softness, (ii) capacity to repair, (iii) multimodal sensitivity, as well as (iv) biodegradability. Here, PSCs still face challenges as they are brittle and break upon applying a mechanical stress. When trying to address this issue, the existing knowledge on mechanical properties of well-established polymeric plastics, e.g., polystyrene, cannot be directly applied for several reasons, e.g., (i) the bulkiness of monomers (including long side-chains), (ii) the rigid π-conjugated backbone, (iii) the low degree of polymerization, (iv) the small quantities in which PSCs are available, etc. Moreover, these kinds of materials should not only be mechanically compliant and stretchable, but furthermore retain their charge mobility upon stretching, and withstand numerous of mechanical stretching cycles. Considering this complex problem, researchers have been developing and investigating several approaches to combine good electrical properties and mechanical compliance within one material. These approaches include (i) stress-accommodating engineering, (ii) blending of PSCs into elastic matrix, as well as (iii) molecular engineering approach.
The latter seeks to interlink mechanical and electrical properties on the molecular level, i.e., synthesize polymers that are charge conducting and stretchable. Different strategies were tested, from the modification of side chains, to the introduction of conjugation breakings spacers into the backbone. Selected works sought to incorporate stretchability and conductivity by utilizing block copolymers, i.e., covalently linking a conjugated and a non-conjugated polymer chain, resulting in a phase separation of both constituents and preserving their respective properties.
The ultimate goal of this work is to achieve an intrinsically stretchable and electrically high-performing PSC via the block copolymer approach. This is done by connecting organosilicone, namely the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer – possessing outstanding mechanical properties, as well as good environmental and air stability – with a conjugated diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based donor-acceptor copolymer. The final obtained structure of this polymer is a tri-block copolymer (TBC) consisting of an inner DPP-based polymer block and two outer soft PDMS polymer blocks. The content of PDMS block can be controlled and be very high (up to 67 wt%), and easy processing, e.g., via shear coating, is possible. Relatively high charge carrier mobilities – in the same range as the reference DPP-based copolymer (i.e., without outer PDMS blocks) – are retained, and the block copolymers withstands numerous stretching cycles (up to 1500 cycles) without losing electrical functionality. Finally, one of the block copolymers was successfully incorporated into a biosensor for COVID-19 antibodies and antigens detection.
Overall, the findings of this work show that the block copolymer is a highly versatile approach to obtain functional and stretchable semiconductors with high charge carrier mobilities. Block copolymers consisting of a high-performing donor-acceptor PSC and a biocompatible elastomer could contribute towards one of the long-term goals of organic electronics – the realization of mechanically compliant materials for applications in stretchable electronics (e.g., wearable sensors, electronic skin, etc.).
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