Wave mixing in coupled phononic crystals via a variable stiffness mechanism

We investigate wave mixing effects in a phononic crystal that couples the wave dynamics of two channels – primary and control ones – via a variable stiffness mechanism. We demonstrate analytically and numerically that the wave transmission in the primary channel can be manipulated by the control channel's signal. We show that the application of control waves allows the selection of a specific mode through the primary channel. We also demonstrate that the mixing of two wave modes is possible whereby a modulation effect is observed. A detailed study of the design parameters is also carried out to optimize the switching capabilities of the proposed system. Finally, we verify that the system can fulfill both switching and amplification functionalities, potentially enabling the realization of an acoustic transistor.     

Side-group engineering: The influence of norbornadienyl substituents on the properties of ethynylated pentacene and tetraazapentacene

The chemical modifications of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-PEN) and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-5,7,12,14-tetraazapentacene (TIPS-TAP) by introduction of a large norbornadienyl substituent at the silyl atom of the side chain were examined and their effect on the charge transport properties in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) was investigated. While the introduction of the norbornadienyl substituent resulted in only small changes in the crystallographic packing of these materials and did not affect the optical and electronic properties, the effect on the charge carrier mobility is significant. The hole mobility for the norbornadienyl substituted pentacene (Nor-PEN) is increased compared to similarly prepared TIPS-PEN devices, reaching up to 0.75 cm²/Vs. On the other hand, the electron mobility of the tetraaza derivative (Nor-TAP) is reduced by an order of magnitude compared to its parent TIPS-TAP. The strong effect of the norbornadienyl substitution on the charge carrier mobilities can be explained by the calculation of the transfer integrals and the microstructure of the resulting films of the Nor-derivatives.     

SQM-OTFT: A compact model of organic thin-film transistors based on the symmetric quadrature of the accumulation charge considering both deep and tail states

A physically-based compact model of organic thin-film transistors suitable for CAD simulators is proposed. It is worked out by means of a newly developed and particularly simple form of the charge-sheet model: the symmetric quadrature of the accumulation charge. The model is based on the variable-range hopping and accounts for both deep and tail states. It is simple, symmetric, accurately accounts for the below-threshold, linear, and saturation regimes via a unique formulation. The symmetric quadrature is accurate within 5% in all regions of operation and the resulting current model is suitable both for p- and n-type transistors. The model leads to a significant simplification of the drain current and of the quasi-static expressions of the terminal charges based on the Ward–Dutton partition. Finally, the symmetric quadrature leads to an explicit and analytically tractable solution for the surface potential as a function of position in the device channel that can be extremely useful to implement advanced physical effects.     

Photovoltaic devices using semiconducting polymers containing head‐to‐tail‐structured bithiophene,pyrene, and benzothiadiazole derivatives

An alternating copolymer composed of heal‐to‐tail‐structured 3,4′‐dihexyl‐2,2′‐bithiophene (DHBT) and pyrene units [poly(DHBT‐alt‐PYR)] was synthesized using a Stille coupling reaction for use in photovoltaic devices as a p‐type donor. For the reduction of the bandgap energy of poly(DHBT‐alt‐PYR), 4,7‐bis(3′‐hexyl‐2,2′‐bithiophen‐5‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (BHBTBT) units were introduced into the polymer. Poly(DHBT‐co‐PYR‐co‐BHBTBT)s were synthesized using the same polymerization reaction. The synthesized polymers were soluble in common organic solvents and formed smooth thin films after spin casting. The optical bandgap energies of the polymers were obtained from the onset absorption wavelengths. The measured optical bandgap energy of poly(DHBT‐alt‐PYR) was 2.47 eV. As the BHBTBT content in the ter‐polymers increased, the optical bandgap energies of the resulting polymers decreased. The bandgap energies of poly(50DHBT‐co‐40PYR‐co‐10BHBTBT) and poly(50DHBT‐co‐20PYR‐co‐30BHBTBT) were 1.84 and 1.73 eV, respectively. Photovoltaic devices were fabricated with a typical sandwich structure of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/active layer/LiF/Al using the polymers as electron donors and [6,6]‐phenyl C₇₁‐butyric acid methyl ester as the electron acceptor. The device using poly(50DHBT‐co‐20PYR‐co‐30BHBTBT) showed the best performance among the fabricated devices, with an open‐circuit voltage, short‐circuit current, fill factor, and maximum power conversion efficiency of 0.68 V, 5.54 mA/cm², 0.35, and 1.31%, respectively. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Improving charge transport in poly(3‐hexylthiophene) transistors via blending with an alkyl‐substituted phenylene–thiophene–thiophene–phenylene molecule

A prototypical semiconducting bicomponent system consisting of a conjugated polymer, that is, poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT), blended with a small thiophene containing conjugated molecule, that is, an alkyl‐substituted bisphenyl‐bithiophene [phenylene–thiophene–thiophene–phenylene (PTTP)], has been used as an electroactive active layer in field‐effect transistors (FETs). The self‐assembly of this bicomponent system at surfaces has been studied at different length scales, from the nanoscale to the macroscale, and compared with the behavior of monocomponent films of PTTP and P3HT. The correlation between morphology and electric properties of the semiconducting material is explored by fabricating prototypes of FETs varying the relative concentrations of the two‐component blend. The maximum charge carrier mobility value, achieved with a few percent of PTTP component, is not simply due to a uniform dispersion of the molecules in the polymer matrix, but rather to the generation of very long percolation paths, whose composition and electrical properties can be tuned with the PTTP concentration. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Role of geometry, substrate and atmosphere on performance of OFETs based on TTF derivatives

We report a comparative study of OFET devices based on zone-cast layers of three tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) derivatives in three configurations of electrodes in order to determine the best performing geometry. The first testing experiments were performed using SiO₂/Si substrates. Then the optimum geometry was employed for the preparation of flexible OFETs using Parylene C as both substrate and dielectric layer yielding, in the best case, to devices with μ_FET = 0.1 cm²/V s. With the performed bending tests we determined the limit of curvature radius for which the performance of the OFETs is not deteriorated irreversibly. The investigated OFETs are sensitive to ambient atmosphere, showing reversible increase of the source to drain current upon exposition to air, what can be explained as doping of TTF derivative by oxygen or moisture.     

Crosslinked polymer-mixture gate insulator for high-performance organic thin-film transistors

In this paper, we report on the fabrication of a crosslinked polymer-mixture gate insulator for high-performance organic thin-film transistors (TFTs). We used cyanoethylated pullulan (CEP) as a crosslinkable high-k polymer matrix and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA) as a polymeric crosslinking agent. Because PEMA has a high number of functional groups reactive to the hydroxyl groups of CEP, the use of PEMA is effective for minimizing the amount of remaining hydroxyl groups strongly related to the large current hysteresis and high off current of the organic TFTs. To investigate the potential of the CEP-PEMA mixture as a gate insulator, we fabricated 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C₈-BTBT) TFTs. The C₈-BTBT TFT with the 60 nm-thick CEP-PEMA gate insulator showed excellent TFT performance with a field-effect mobility of 1.4 cm²/V s and an on/off ratio of 2.4 × 10⁶.     

基于硅衬底静电感应晶体管器件仿真与研究

针对静电感应晶体管理论研究迟滞于实践过程,文中利用软件Silvaco Tcad,从器件仿真入手,对影响硅基表面栅静电感应晶体管器件电学性能进行了理论研究。仿真得到了反偏栅压约为0 V、漏电压＜20 V时,器件表现类五极管饱和特性曲线,器件电流约为10-5 A,此时沟道状态为预夹断。当反偏栅压为-1.5 V、漏电压逐渐增大到300 V时,器件表现为类三极管不饱和特性曲线,器件电流约为10-6 A,此时沟道状态为完全夹断,研究结果静电感应晶体管工艺实践提供了参考。