Direct top–down fabrication of nanoscale electrodes for organic semiconductors using fluoropolymer resists

We report the use of a fluoropolymer resist for the damage-free e-beam lithographic patterning of organic semiconductors. The same material is also shown to be suitable as an orthogonal electron beam resist for the patterning of top-contact electrodes on organic thin films. We demonstrate this by characterizing pentacene field-effect transistors with feature sizes as small as 100 nm and compare the performance of bottom- and top-contacted devices.     

μSR studies in heavily doped GaAs

Transverse-field (TF) and longitudinal-field (LF) ⁺ SR measurements have been made on conducting GaAsSi (n-type 10¹⁸ cm^–3) and GaAsZn (p-type 10¹⁹ cm^–3) from 20 mK to 200 K. At low temperatures in GaAsSi, the frequency spectra show a large diamagnetic signal as well as broad lines due to bond-centered muonium (Mu _BC ). This broadening is attributed to spin exchange interactions with charge carriers in impurity bands. Only the diamagnetic signal is observed in GaAsZn. The field dependence of the TF diamagnetic relaxation rate at 5 K can be explained by the combined electric quadrupolar and Zeeman interaction between the muon and the surrounding nuclei and the temperature scan at TF=1.5 T indicates that the mechanisms responsible for the broadening are temperature independent. The candidates for the diamagnetic species are discussed in view of these results.This work is partially supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Welch Foundation (C-1048 [TLE], D-1053 [RLL]) and the U.S. National Science Foundation (DMR-8917639 [TLE, BH]).     

Short-channel drain current model for asymmetric heavily / lightly doped DG MOSFETs

Performance characteristics of an excimer laser (XeCl) with single-stage magnetic pulse compression suitable for material processing applications are presented here. The laser incorporates in-built compact gas circulation and gas cooling to ensure fresh gas mixture between the electrodes for repetitive operation. A magnetically coupled tangential blower is used for gas circulation inside the laser chamber for repetitive operation. The exciter consists of C–C energy transfer circuit and thyratron is used as a high-voltage main switch with single-stage magnetic pulse compression (MPC) between thyratron and the laser electrodes. Low inductance of the laser head and uniform and intense pre-ionization are the main features of the electric circuit used in the laser. A 250 ns rise time voltage pulse was compressed to 100 ns duration with a single-stage magnetic pulse compressor using Ni–Zn ferrite cores. The laser can generate about 150 mJ at ～100 Hz rep-rate reliably from a discharge volume of 100 cm ³. 2D spatial laser beam profile generated is presented here. The profile shows that the laser beam is completely filled with flat-top which is suitable for material processing applications. The SEM image of the microhole generated on copper target is presented here.     

f-γ current fluctuations in organic semiconductors: evidence for percolation

The f^-γ sloped current noise power spectra, observed in organic semiconductors, have been interpreted within a variable range hopping mechanism of the fluctuations. The relative current noise power spectral density exhibits a maximum at the trap-filling transition between the ohmic and the space-charge-limited-current regime [Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 236601 (2005)]. Here, we discuss the electronic conditions determining the crossover from ohmic to space-charge-limited transport. These arguments shed light on the need to adopt a percolative fluctuation picture to account for the competition between insulating and conductive phases coexisting at the transition, where small changes in the external bias lead to dramatic effects in the fluctuations.     

Structural and electronic implications for carrier injection into organic semiconductors

We report on the structural and electronic interface formation between ITO (indium-tin-oxide) and prototypical organic small molecular semiconductors, i.e., CuPc (copper phthalocyanine) and α-NPD (N,N′-di(naphtalen-1-yl)-N,N′-diphenyl-benzidine). In particular, the effects of in situ oxygen plasma pretreatment of the ITO surface on interface properties are examined in detail: Organic layer-thickness dependent Kelvin probe measurements revealed a good alignment of the ITO work function and the highest occupied electronic level of the organic material in all samples. In contrast, the electrical properties of hole-only and bipolar organic diodes depend strongly on the treatment of ITO prior to organic deposition. This dependence is more pronounced for diodes made of polycrystalline CuPc than for those of amorphous α-NPD layers. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopic (AFM) investigations of CuPc nucleation and growth evidenced a more pronounced texture of the polycrystalline film structure on the ITO substrate that was oxygen plasma treated prior to organic layer deposition. These findings suggest that the anisotropic electrical properties of CuPc crystallites, and their orientation with respect to the substrate, strongly affect the charge carrier injection and transport properties at the anode interface.     

Single-site approximation for the s–f model of antiferromagnetic semiconductors

For the s–f model of an antiferromagnetic semiconductor, the effect of the antiferromagnetic ordering of the localized spins on the conduction-electron state is investigated over a wide range of exchange strengths by combining the effective-medium approach with the Green's function in the 2×2 sublattice Bloch function representation. The band splitting due to the reduced magnetic Brillouin zone occurs below the Néel temperature. There is a marked effect of the thermal fluctuation of the antiferromagnetically ordered localized spins on the conduction electron at the energies near the top (bottom) of the lower- (higher-) energy subband.     

Interactions of μAl acceptor impurity in weakly and heavily doped silicon

The interactions of the aluminum acceptor impurity in silicon are investigated using polarized negative muons. The polarization of negative muons is studied as a function of temperature on crystalline silicon samples with phosphorus (1.6×10¹³ cm^?3) and boron (4.1×10¹⁸ cm^?3) impurities. The measurements are performed in a magnetic field of 4.1 kG perpendicular to the muon spin, in the temperature range from 4 to 300 K. The experimental results show that, in phosphorus-doped n-type silicon, an _μAl acceptor center is ionized in the temperature range T>50 K. For boron-doped silicon, the temperature dependence of the shift of the muon spin precession frequency is found to deviate from the 1/T Curie law in the temperature range T ? 50 K. The interactions of a _μAl acceptor that may be responsible for the effects observed in the experiment are analyzed.     

New organic–inorganic hybrid matrices doped with rhodamine 6G as solid-state dye lasers

We report on the laser action of rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) incorporated into new hybrid organic–inorganic monolithic materials. The synthesis of these materials proceeded via the simultaneous sol-gel process of the inorganic part (tetraethoxysilane or tetramethoxysilane) and the free-radical polymerization of an organic monomer part (2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and a 1:1 v/v copolymer of this monomer with methyl methacrylate). The wt. % proportion of the alkoxide was systematically varied in each organic formulation, and the effect of each organic–inorganic composition on the lasing properties of Rh6G was evaluated. The laser samples were transversely pumped and the influence on the laser action of dye concentration, pump wavelength and pump repetition rate was analyzed. Lasing efficiencies of up 26% and good stabilities, with a 90% drop in the initial laser output of up to 12000 pump pulses at 2.5 Hz, were obtained when the samples were pumped at 355 nm with 5.5 mJ/pulse from the third harmonic of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Received: 31 July 2002 / Revised version: 14 October 2002 / Published online: 20 December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author. Fax: +34-91/564-4853, E-mail: ogarcia@ctp.csic.es     

Diluted magnetic semiconductors based on II–VI compounds for photovoltaic detector applications

Infrared photovoltaic p−n junction detectors fabricated by using ternary and quaternary diluted magnetic semiconductors (also called semimagnetic semiconductors) are reviewed. The methods of material and detector preparation are described and the experimental results of the electrical and photoelectric measurements of the detectors are briefly discussed. Some singularities of both the materials and the technological techniques as well as their impact upon the properties of the detectors are analyzed.     

Coherent electrically excited organic semiconductors: coherent or laser emission?

Recent experimental results demonstrating coherent emission from an electrically-excited pulsed dye-doped organic semiconductor interferometric emitter, are discussed from a coherence and a laser perspective. Examination of available results indicates that there is sufficient evidence to classify the reported emission as being equivalent to broadband dye laser radiation. From a practical perspective, however, this is an interferometric organic semiconductor emitter that yields a spatially coherent beam (Δθ≈ 2.53 mrad or 1.1 times the diffraction limit) and an emission linewidth comparable with broadband dye lasers (Δλ≈ 11 nm at half width). Geometrical dimensions, and electrical excitation parameters, for a significantly smaller interferometric organic emitter are suggested. PACS 42.25.Hz; 42.25.Kb; 42.55.Mv; 42.60.Da; 42.60.Jf     

Optical absorption in degenerately doped semiconductors: Mott transition or Mahan excitons?

Electron doping turns semiconductors conductive even when they have wide fundamental band gaps. The degenerate electron gas in the lowest conduction-band states, e.g., of a transparent conducting oxide, drastically modifies the Coulomb interaction between the electrons and, hence, the optical properties close to the absorption edge. We describe these effects by developing an ab initio technique which captures also the Pauli blocking and the Fermi-edge singularity at the optical-absorption onset, that occur in addition to quasiparticle and excitonic effects. We answer the question whether free carriers induce an excitonic Mott transition or trigger the evolution of Wannier-Mott excitons into Mahan excitons. The prototypical n-type zinc oxide is studied as an example.     

Symmetry forbidden LO-phonon Raman scattering in heavily doped 〈1 0 0〉 n-GaAs

We have investigated symmetry forbidden longitudinal optic Raman for various polarization configurations at 4579A from the 〈1 0 0〉 surface of heavily doped n-GaAs caused by the strong surface-fields and high impurity levels. We have evaluated the magnitude and phase of the coefficient of the electric-field induced term as well as the magnitude of the coefficients of the impurity-induced factor.     

Er–Pr doped tellurite glass nanocomposites for white light emitting diodes

In this paper, optical glass nanocomposites (nanoparticles sizes up to 100 nm) with composition TeO₂–WO₃–PbO–xEr₂O₃–yPr₆O₁₁ (x = 0.30 mol%, y = 0.70 mol%) embedded into polymer matrices was reported. The two types of polymers chosen for present study were: photopolymer oligoetheracryalte (OEA) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), respectively. The incorporation of the titled nanoparticles into the polymer matrices is analyzed optically. The fluorescence spectra of the nanocomposites were compared with the fluorescence spectra of bulk glasses. Based on the comparison of Er^3 + and Pr^3 + ions' energy level schemes, possible energy transfer processes were identified. The prepared glasses are promising candidates for the white light emitting diodes applications.     

Azobenzene-containing small molecules organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel materials for photonic applications

Azobenzene-containing germania-ormosil hybrid materials are prepared by combining a low-temperature sol–gel technique with a spin-coating process, which can be used for the simple and low cost fabrication of waveguide devices for photonic applications. The planar waveguide and structural properties of the hybrid waveguide films are characterized by a prism coupling technique and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effects of azobenzene content and heat treatment temperature on the photo-responsive properties of the hybrid films are also studied by photoirradiation with UV light. The results indicate that the azobenzene in hybrid materials can undergo trans–cis–trans photoisomerization efficiently by photoirradiation with UV light, and surface pattern structure induced due to UV light photoirradiation can be easily observed on such azobenzene-doped hybrid materials. Thus, this as-prepared organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel material shows promising candidates for optical switch applications and allows for directly integrating on a single chip waveguide device with optical data storage and optical switching devices.     

Novel semiconducting iron–quinizarin metal–organic framework for application in supercapacitors*

We present conductivity data for a newly synthesised metal–organic framework FeQ, Fe(C₁₄H₆O₄).H₂O demonstrating significant electronic transport. The electrical conductivity of the material is expected to be through the π–π interaction of the ligand-quinizarin and is measured to be 1.73?×?10^?2?Scm^?1_. Its potential role as supercapacitor electrodes is discussed.     

A DC current–voltage model for organic thin film transistor for circuit design

Organic integrated circuits based on organic thin film transistors (OTFT) are gaining more and more attention nowadays, the availability of accurate spice-like device model for OTFTs suitable for Electronic design automation (EDA) applications is particularly attractive. In this paper, we demonstrate the applicability of the accurate direct-current (DC) model for OTFTs suitable for EDA, the parameters in the unified model all can be extracted in a simple and direct way from the experimental measurements. Two types of top source and drain contact (TC) pentacene TFTs with different gate dielectrics are researched on, simulation results based Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) are obtained with this model and parameters extracted, which show a very good agreement with measured curves in both transfer and output characteristics, so the DC model and the extracted parameters are verified.     

Theoretical models of ferromagnetic III–V semiconductors

Recent materials research has advanced the maximum ferromagnetic transition temperature in semiconductors containing magnetic elements toward room temperature. Reaching this goal would make information technology applications of these materials likely. In this article we briefly review the status of work over the past five years which has attempted to achieve a theoretical understanding of these complex magnetic systems. The basic microscopic origins of ferromagnetism in the (III,Mn)V compounds that have the highest transition temperatures appear to be well understood, and efficient computation methods have been developed which are able to model their magnetic, transport, and optical properties. However many questions remain.