Unraveling Unprecedented Charge Carrier Mobility through Structure Property Relationship of Four Isomers of Didodecyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene

Recent Progress in High-Mobility Organic Transistors: A Reality Check

Over the past three decades, significant research efforts have focused on improving the charge carrier mobility of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). In recent years, a commonly observed nonlinearity in OTFT current-voltage characteristics, known as the "kink" or "double slope," has led to widespread mobility overestimations, contaminating the relevant literature. Here, published data from the past 30 years is reviewed to uncover the extent of the field-effect mobility hype and identify the progress that has actually been achieved in the field of OTFTs. Present carrier-mobility-related challenges are identified, finding that reliable hole and electron mobility values of 20 and 10 cm2 V-1 s-1 , respectively, have yet to be achieved. Based on the analysis, the literature is then reviewed to summarize the concepts behind the success of high-performance p-type polymers, along with the latest understanding of the design criteria that will enable further mobility enhancement in n-type polymers and small molecules, and the reasons why high carrier mobility values have been consistently produced from small molecule/polymer blend semiconductors. Overall, this review brings together important information that aids reliable OTFT data analysis, while providing guidelines for the development of next-generation organic semiconductors.

From Linear to Angular Isomers: Achieving Tunable Charge Transport in Single-Crystal Indolocarbazoles Through Delicate Synergetic CH/NH⋅⋅⋅π Interactions

Weak intermolecular interaction in organic semiconducting molecular crystals plays an important role in molecular packing and electronic properties. Here, four five-ring-fused isomers were rationally designed and synthesized to investigate the isomeric influence of linear and angular shapes in affecting their molecular packing and resultant electronic properties. Single-crystal field-effect transistors showed mobility order of 5,7-ICZ (3.61 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 ) >5,11-ICZ (0.55 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 ) >11,12-ICZ (ca. 10^-5  cm²  V^-1  s^-1 ) and 5,12-ICZ (ca. 10^-6  cm²  V^-1  s^-1 ). Theoretical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and polaron transport model revealed that 5,7-ICZ can reach higher mobilities than the others thanks to relatively higher hole transfer integral that links to stronger intermolecular interaction due to the presence of multiple NH⋅⋅⋅π and CH⋅⋅⋅π(py) interactions with energy close to common NH⋅⋅⋅N hydrogen bonds, as well as overall lower hole-vibrational coupling owing to the absence of coupling of holes to low frequency modes due to better π conjugation.

Dichotomy between the band and hopping transport in organic crystals: insights from experiments

The molecular understanding of charge-transport in organic crystals has often been tangled with identifying the true dynamical origin. While in two distinct cases where complete delocalization and localization of charge-carriers are associated with band-like and hopping-like transports, respectively, their possible coalescence poses some mystery. Moreover, the existing models are still controversial at ambient temperatures. Here, we review the issues in charge-transport theories of organic materials and then provide an overview of prominent transport models. We explored ∼60 organic crystals, the single-crystal hole/electron mobilities of which have been predicted by band-like and hopping-like transport models, separately. Our comparative results show that at room-temperature neither of the models are exclusively capable of accurately predicting mobilities in a very broad range. Hopping-like models well-predict experimental mobilities around μ ∼ 1 cm² V^-1 s^-1 but systematically diverge at high mobilities. Similarly, band-like models are good at μ > ∼50 cm² V^-1 s^-1 but systematically diverge at lower mobilities. These results suggest the development of a unique and robust room-temperature transport model incorporating a mixture of these two extreme cases, whose relative importance is associated with their predominant regions. We deduce that while band models are beneficial for rationally designing high mobility organic-semiconductors, hopping models are good to elucidate the charge-transport of most organic-semiconductors.

Theoretical study on the charge transport in single crystals of TCNQ, F2-TCNQ and F4-TCNQ

2,5-Difluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F₂-TCNQ) was recently reported to display excellent electron transport properties in single crystal field-effect transistors (FETs). Its carrier mobility can reach 25 cm² V^-1 s^-1 in devices. However, its counterparts TCNQ and F₄-TCNQ (tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) do not exhibit the same highly efficient behavior. To better understand this significant difference in charge carrier mobility, a multiscale approach combining semiclassical Marcus hopping theory, a quantum nuclear enabled hopping model and molecular dynamics simulations was performed to assess the electron mobilities of the F_n-TCNQ (n = 0, 2, 4) systems in this work. The results indicated that the outstanding electron transport behavior of F₂-TCNQ arises from its effective 3D charge carrier percolation network due to its special packing motif and the nuclear tunneling effect. Moreover, the poor transport properties of TCNQ and F₄-TCNQ stem from their invalid packing and strong thermal disorder. It was found that Marcus theory underestimated the mobilities for all the systems, while the quantum model with the nuclear tunneling effect provided reasonable results compared to experiments. Moreover, the band-like transport behavior of F₂-TCNQ was well described by the quantum nuclear enabled hopping model. In addition, quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analysis and symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) were used to characterize the intermolecular interactions in TCNQ, F₂-TCNQ and F₄-TCNQ crystals. A primary understanding of various noncovalent interaction responses for crystal formation is crucial to understand the structure-property relationships in organic molecular materials.

The reductive aromatization of naphthalene diimide: a versatile platform for 2,7-diazapyrenes

The reductive aromatization of naphthalene diimide provides tetrapivaloxy-2,7-diazapyrene, which serves as a versatile platform toward peripherally substituted 2,7-diazapyrenes.

Intrinsic charge-mobility in benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (BTBT) organic semiconductors is enhanced with long alkyl side-chains

Longer alkyl side-chains in BTBTs regulate structural order, cause balanced transport and lead to enhanced intrinsic charge-carrier mobility.

Band Transport and Trapping in Didodecyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene Probed by Terahertz Spectroscopy

Terahertz electromodulation spectroscopy provides insight into the material-inherent transport properties of charge carriers in organic semiconductors. Experiments on didodecyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C₁₂-BTBT-C₁₂) devices yield for holes an intraband mobility of 9 cm² V^-1 s^-1. The short duration of the THz pulses advances the understanding of the hole transport on the molecular scale. The efficient screening of Coulomb potentials leads to a collective response of the hole gas to external fields, which can be well described by the Drude model. Bias stress of the devices generates deep traps that capture mobile holes. Although the resulting polarization across the device hinders the injection of mobile holes, the hole mobilities are not affected.

Multi-dimensional charge transport in supramolecular helical foldamer assemblies

Aromatic foldamers are bioinspired architectures whose potential use in materials remains largely unexplored. Here we report our investigation of vertical and horizontal charge transport over long distances in helical oligo-quinolinecarboxamide foldamers organized as single monolayers on Au or SiO2. Conductive atomic force microscopy showed that vertical conductivity is efficient and that it displays a low attenuation with foldamer length (0.06 Å-1). In contrast, horizontal charge transport is found to be negligible, demonstrating the strong anisotropy of foldamer monolayers. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations were used to probe the mechanism of charge transport in these helical molecules and revealed the presence of intramolecular through-space charge transfer integrals approaching those found in pentacene and rubrene crystals, in line with experimental results. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of charge hopping along the foldamer chain evidence the strong contribution of multiple 1D and 3D pathways in these architectures and their dependence on conformational order. These findings show that helical foldamer architectures may provide a route for achieving charge transport over long distance by combining multiple charge transport pathways.

Efficient Benzodithiophene/Benzothiadiazole-Based n-Channel Charge Transporters

A series of donor-acceptor (D-A) small molecules based on electron-deficient benzothiadiazole (BTD) and electron-rich benzodithiophene (BDT) featuring an A-D-A structure is presented. Exhaustive spectroscopic, electrochemical, and computational studies evidence their electroactive nature and their ability to form well-ordered thin films with broad visible absorptions and low band gaps (ca. 2 eV). Time-resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) studies unveil unexpected n-type charge transport displaying high electron mobilities around 0.1 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 . Efficient electron transport properties are consistent with the low electron reorganization energies (0.11-0.17 eV) theoretically predicted.

Estimation of π-π Electronic Couplings from Current Measurements

The π-π interactions between organic molecules are among the most important parameters for optimizing the transport and optical properties of organic transistors, light-emitting diodes, and (bio-) molecular devices. Despite substantial theoretical progress, direct experimental measurement of the π-π electronic coupling energy parameter t has remained an old challenge due to molecular structural variability and the large number of parameters that affect the charge transport. Here, we propose a study of π-π interactions from electrochemical and current measurements on a large array of ferrocene-thiolated gold nanocrystals. We confirm the theoretical prediction that t can be assessed from a statistical analysis of current histograms. The extracted value of t ≈35 meV is in the expected range based on our density functional theory analysis. Furthermore, the t distribution is not necessarily Gaussian and could be used as an ultrasensitive technique to assess intermolecular distance fluctuation at the subangström level. The present work establishes a direct bridge between quantum chemistry, electrochemistry, organic electronics, and mesoscopic physics, all of which were used to discuss results and perspectives in a quantitative manner.

Charge carrier mobility in thin films of organic semiconductors by the gated van der Pauw method

Thin film transistors based on high-mobility organic semiconductors are prone to contact problems that complicate the interpretation of their electrical characteristics and the extraction of important material parameters such as the charge carrier mobility. Here we report on the gated van der Pauw method for the simple and accurate determination of the electrical characteristics of thin semiconducting films, independently from contact effects. We test our method on thin films of seven high-mobility organic semiconductors of both polarities: device fabrication is fully compatible with common transistor process flows and device measurements deliver consistent and precise values for the charge carrier mobility and threshold voltage in the high-charge carrier density regime that is representative of transistor operation. The gated van der Pauw method is broadly applicable to thin films of semiconductors and enables a simple and clean parameter extraction independent from contact effects.

Engineering Thin Films of a Tetrabenzoporphyrin toward Efficient Charge-Carrier Transport: Selective Formation of a Brickwork Motif

Tetrabenzoporphyrin (BP) is a p-type organic semiconductor characterized by the large, rigid π-framework, excellent stability, and good photoabsorption capability. These characteristics make BP and its derivatives prominent active-layer components in organic electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, the control of the solid-state arrangement of BP frameworks, especially in solution-processed thin films, has not been intensively explored, and charge-carrier mobilities observed in BP-based materials have stayed relatively low as compared to those in the best organic molecular semiconductors. This work concentrates on engineering the solid-state packing of a BP derivative, 5,15-bis(triisopropylsilyl)ethynyltetrabenzoporphyrin (TIPS-BP), toward achieving efficient charge-carrier transport in its solution-processed thin films. The effort leads to the selective formation of a brickwork packing that has two dimensionally extended π-staking. The maximum field-effect hole mobility in the resulting films reaches 1.1 cm² V^-1 s^-1, which is approximately 14 times higher than the record value for pristine free-base BP (0.070 cm² V^-1 s^-1). This achievement is enabled mainly through the optimization of three factors; namely, deposition process, cast solvent, and self-assembled monolayer that constitutes the dielectric surface. On the other hand, polarized-light microscopy and grazing-incident wide-angle X-ray diffraction analyses show that there remains some room for improvement in the in-plane homogeneity of molecular alignment, suggesting even higher charge-carrier mobilities can be obtained upon further optimization. These results will provide a useful basis for the polymorph engineering and morphology optimization in solution-processed organic molecular semiconductors.

Rapid Evaluation of Electron Mobilities at Semiconductor-Insulator Interfaces in an Ambient Atmosphere by a Contactless Microwave-Based Technique

Intrinsic mobility of electrons at the interfaces between crystalline organic semiconductors and insulating dielectric polymer films was rapidly evaluated in an ambient atmosphere by TRMC@Interfaces, a noncontact and nondestructive method based on dielectric loss spectroscopy of microwaves. By just preparing simple metal-insulator-semiconductor devices, local-scale motions of charge carriers injected into the interface by pulses of gate bias voltage were monitored through reflected microwave changes, resulting in the evaluation of local-scale charge carrier mobilities together with the value of trap density at the interface. The evaluated high electron mobilities of 12 cm² V^-1 s^-1 for N,N'-bis(cyclohexyl)naphthalene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide) (DCy-NDI) and 15 cm² V^-1 s^-1 for N,N'-dioctylperylene-1,4,5,8-bis(dicarboximide) (DC ₈ -PDI) are the benchmarks for organic semiconducting materials that are comparable with the highest ones reported from the field-effect transistor devices. The present TRMC@Interfaces was found to serve as a rapid screening technique to examine the intrinsic performance of organic semiconducting materials as well as a useful tool enabling the precise discussion on the relationship among their local-scale charge carrier mobility, thin-film morphology, and packing structure.

Synthesis and characterization of semiaromatic polyamides comprising benzofurobenzofuran repeating units

Extended π-conjugated segments such as benzofurobenzofuran can be included into polyamides with high glass transition temperatures.

Role of intermolecular charge delocalization and its dimensionality in efficient band-like electron transport in crystalline 2,5-difluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F2-TCNQ)

Theoretical investigation unravels the importance of multidimensional intermolecular charge delocalization for efficient band-like charge transport in small-molecule organic semiconductors.

The influence of isomer purity on trap states and performance of organic thin-film transistors

Organic field-effect transistor (OFET) performance is dictated by its composition and geometry, as well as the quality of the organic semiconductor (OSC) film, which strongly depends on purity and microstructure. When present, impurities and defects give rise to trap states in the bandgap of the OSC, lowering device performance. Here, 2,8-difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)-anthradithiophene is used as a model system to study the mechanism responsible for performance degradation in OFETs due to isomer coexistence. The density of trapping states is evaluated through temperature dependent current-voltage measurements, and it is discovered that OFETs containing a mixture of syn- and anti-isomers exhibit a discrete trapping state detected as a peak located at ~ 0.4 eV above the valence-band edge, which is absent in the samples fabricated on single-isomer films. Ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations do not point to a significant difference in electronic band structure between individual isomers. Instead, it is proposed that the dipole moment of the syn-isomer present in the host crystal of the anti-isomer locally polarizes the neighboring molecules, inducing energetic disorder. The isomers can be separated by applying gentle mechanical vibrations during film crystallization, as confirmed by the suppression of the peak and improvement in device performance.

Photovoltaic concepts inspired by coherence effects in photosynthetic systems

The past decade has seen rapid advances in our understanding of how coherent and vibronic phenomena in biological photosynthetic systems aid in the efficient transport of energy from light-harvesting antennas to photosynthetic reaction centres. Such coherence effects suggest strategies to increase transport lengths even in the presence of structural disorder. Here we explore how these principles could be exploited in making improved solar cells. We investigate in depth the case of organic materials, systems in which energy and charge transport stand to be improved by overcoming challenges that arise from the effects of static and dynamic disorder - structural and energetic - and from inherently strong electron-vibration couplings. We discuss how solar-cell device architectures can evolve to use coherence-exploiting materials, and we speculate as to the prospects for a coherent energy conversion system. We conclude with a survey of the impacts of coherence and bioinspiration on diverse solar-energy harvesting solutions, including artificial photosynthetic systems.