Formation of photoconductive nanowires of tetracene derivative in composite thin film

Nanowires of tetracene dicarboxylic imide disulfide with an N-hexyl substituent (HexylTIDS) were successfully constructed in composite thin film containing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The nanowire structures were investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The photoconductivity of the composite films was evaluated by time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements, revealing that the film containing a 1:1 w/w ratio of HexylTIDS and P3HT exhibited the highest photoconductivity (2.1 × 10(-7) m(2)/(V s)). The intermolecular interactions of HexylTIDS molecules were important in nanowire formation. These results suggest a one-step method for fabricating small-molecule-based nanowires in composite films from a blended solution. This type of composite film, and its fabrication method, will be useful for developing organic thin-film photoelectronic devices.

Nanostructures of small-molecule organic crystals on capillary wave surfaces with controllable capillary lengths

We report on the nanostructures of organic small-molecule pentacene crystals that have been vapor-deposited onto the capillary wave surfaces of thin liquid films. The characteristic lateral length of the capillary wave surface or the capillary length can be controlled by changing the thickness of the liquid films and, thus, the van der Waals interaction with the substrate. We find that the morphology of the organic crystals gradually varies from fractals to compact islands as the liquid film thickness increases. The square of average distance between organic crystal grains was also found to be proportional to the liquid film thickness. We discuss the possibility that these effects are driven by capillary fluctuations at the air-liquid interface.

On the origin of contact resistances of organic thin film transistors

A model is presented that describes the gate-voltage-dependent contact resistance and channel-length-dependent charge carrier mobility of small-molecule-based organic thin-film transistors in top and bottom drain/source contact configuration.

Thermionic emission and tunneling at carbon nanotube-organic semiconductor interface

We study the charge carrier injection mechanism across the carbon nanotube (CNT)-organic semiconductor interface using a densely aligned carbon nanotube array as electrode and pentacene as organic semiconductor. The current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics measured at different temperatures show a transition from a thermal emission mechanism at high temperature (above 200 K) to a tunneling mechanism at low temperature (below 200 K). A barrier height of ∼0.16 eV is calculated from the thermal emission regime, which is much lower compared to the metal/pentacene devices. At low temperatures, the J-V curves exhibit a direct tunneling mechanism at low bias, corresponding to a trapezoidal barrier, while at high bias the mechanism is well described by Fowler-Nordheim tunneling, which corresponds to a triangular barrier. A transition from direct tunneling to Fowler-Nordheim tunneling further signifies a small injection barrier at the CNT/pentacene interface. Our results presented here are the first direct experimental evidence of low charge carrier injection barrier between CNT electrodes and an organic semiconductor and are a significant step forward in realizing the overall goal of using CNT electrodes in organic electronics.

Digital-mode organic vapor-jet printing (D-OVJP): advanced jet-on-demand control of organic thin-film deposition

Digital-mode organic vapor-jet printing (D-OVJP) is demonstrated by producing a series of organic vapor jets. D-OVJP not only inherits all the benefits of a conventional OVJP but also provides an advanced, straightforward control over organic deposition with a pixel-to-pixel precision. Digitally-controlled film thickness and high-performance thin-film transistors are demonstrated with D-OVJP, proving its potential applicability to organic electronics and related areas.

Bias stress effect in "air-gap" organic field-effect transistors

The origin of the bias stress effect related only to semiconductor properties is investigated in "air-gap" organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in the absence of a material gate dielectric. The effect becomes stronger as the density of trap states in the semiconductor increases. A theoretical model based on carrier trapping and relaxation in localized tail states is formulated. Polar molecular vapors in the gap of "air-gap" OFETs also have a significant impact on the bias stress effect via the formation of bound states between the charge carriers and molecular dipoles at the semiconductor surface.

An improved synthesis of pentacene: rapid access to a benchmark organic semiconductor

Pentacene is an organic semiconductor used in a variety of thin-film organic electronic devices. Although at least six separate syntheses of pentacene are known (two from dihydropentacenes, two from 6,13-pentacenedione and two from 6,13-dihydro-6,13-dihydroxypentacene), none is ideal and several utilize elevated temperatures that may facilitate the oxidation of pentacene as it is produced. Here, we present a fast (~2 min of reaction time), simple, high-yielding (≥90%), low temperature synthesis of pentacene from readily available 6,13-dihydro-6,13-dihydroxypentacene. Further, we discuss the mechanism of this highly efficient reaction. With this improved synthesis, researchers gain rapid, affordable access to high purity pentacene in excellent yield and without the need for a time consuming sublimation.

Unraveling the mechanism of molecular doping in organic semiconductors

The mechanism by which molecular dopants donate free charge carriers to the host organic semiconductor is investigated and is found to be quite different from the one in inorganic semiconductors. In organics, a strong correlation between the doping concentration and its charge donation efficiency is demonstrated. Moreover, there is a threshold doping level below which doping simply has no electrical effect.

Charge reorganization energy and small polaron binding energy of rubrene thin films by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy

The hole–phonon coupling of a rubrene monolayer on graphite is measured by means of angle resolved ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Thus, the charge reorganization energy λ and the small polaron binding energy is determined, which allows insight into the nature of charge transport in condensed rubrene.

Inkjet printing high-resolution, large-area graphene patterns by coffee-ring lithography

Taking advantage of the "coffee-ring" effect, graphene electrodes with channel lengths as low as 1-2 micrometers are patterned by inkjet printing. Organic thin film transistors and complementary inverters are also fabricated using these graphene electrodes and show excellent performance.

The position of nitrogen in N-heteropentacenes matters

An exploratory study on novel silylethynylated N-heteropentacenes, which have their N atoms on the terminal rings of the pentacene backbone, is reported. This study leads to both p- and n-channel organic thin-film transistors with high field-effect mobility and also reveals that the position of the N atoms plays an important role in tuning the structures and properties of organic semiconductors based on N-heteropentacenes.

The origin of a 650 nm photoluminescence band in rubrene

Commonly observed variations in photoluminescence (PL) spectra of crystalline organic semiconductors, including the appearance or enhancement of certain PL bands, are shown to originate from a small amount of structural disorder (e.g., amorphous inclusions embedded in a crystal), rather than be necessarily related to chemical impurities or material oxidation. For instance, in rubrene, a minute amount of such disorder can lead to the appearance of a dominant PL band at 650 nm as a result of triplet excitons captured and fused at these sites, with a subsequent emission from the amorphous phase.

Computational and spectral investigation of 5,12-dihydro-5,12-ethanonaphthacene-13-carbaldehyde

A conformational search of 5,12-dihydro-5,12-ethanonaphthacene-13-carbaldehyde predicted the presence of twelve conformations. The geometry of the twelve conformations established at the B3LYP/6-31G* level showed only six unique ones. Vibrational frequencies were calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G* level. The calculated vibrational frequencies enabled us to interpret the appearance of two bands corresponding to the C=O stretching mode of 5,12-dihydro-5,12-ethanonaphthacene-13-carbaldehyde. The first band corresponded to the 5,12-dihydro-5,12-ethanonaphthacene-13-carbaldehyde structure where the aldehyde group O atom was above the benzene or naphthalene ring. The other band was due to the O atom of the aldehyde group pointing out of the benzene or naphthalene ring.

Pure white organic light-emitting diode with lifetime approaching the longevity of yellow emitter

A high-efficiency pure white organic light-emitting diode was fabricated with lifetime approaching that of the low-excitation-energy (yellow) emitter containing counterpart, or six times that of the deep-blue counterpart. The white device was composed of two emission layers with mixed hosts of different compositions. They were respectively doped with yellow rubrene and deep-blue 4,4'-bis-[4-{N,N,N',N'- tetrakis-(4-fluoro-diphenylamino)-phenyl}-vinyl]-biphenyl. The resulting efficiency was 6.0 lm/W (12.4 cd/A) at 20 mA/cm(2). The long device lifetime may be attributed to the double mixed-host architecture employed that effectively dispersed the injected carriers into three different recombination zones and consequently diluted the damaging effect arising from the accumulated charge from un-recombined carriers, hence leading to a markedly improved lifespan.