Imaging the Electric‐Field Distribution in Organic Devices by Confocal Electroreflectance Microscopy

Space resolved Stark spectroscopy is introduced as a non invasive optical technique for imaging electric field distribution in organic semiconductors. Stark spectroscopy relies on the electric field induced change in the absorption/reflection. It is shown that local monitoring of Stark shift with confocal spatial resolution provides quantitative information on the strength of the local field as well as charge distribution within the transport channel.     

General Photo‐Patterning of Polyelectrolyte Thin Films via Efficient Ionic Bis(Fluorinated Phenyl Azide) Photo‐Crosslinkers and their Post‐Deposition Modification

We have extended the well known bisfluorinated(phenyl azide) (bisFPA) methodology to develop an ionic bisFPA process suitable for photo‐crosslinking a wide variety of polyelectrolyte thin films. The crosslinking efficiencies (0.1–1.0 crosslink per photo‐reaction) are sufficiently high for the gel fraction to exceed 80 % for crosslinker concentrations of only a few weight %. This method is based on the photo‐induced formation of singlet nitrenes from FPAs and their insertion into unactivated C–H or other bonds, which thus general and not dependent on the presence of specific chemical functional groups. By derivatizing with ionic charge groups, we obtained ionic bisFPAs that can be properly dispersed into polyelectrolyte thin films. The sorbed moisture always present in these films however severely limits the photo‐crosslinking efficiency, apparently through nitrene protonation and intersystem crossing. This can be avoided by dehydration of the films, in some cases, to 130 °C for 10 min in nitrogen before photo‐exposure. We found that efficient photo‐crosslinking can then be achieved for polyelectrolytes even when they have nucleophilic groups. These include poly(styrenesulfonic acid) and their salts, poly(acrylic acid) and their salts, poly(dimethyldiallylammonium salts), as well as the electrically‐conducting poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonic acid) complex (PEDT:PSSH). We further demonstrate using this ionic bisFPA methodology both photo‐patterning and post‐deposition chemical modifications of polyelectrolyte thin films. This opens broad new possibilities in membrane, sensor and actuator technologies, as well as for organic semiconductor plastic electronics (such as field‐effect transistors) and polyelectrolyte‐based devices.     

Quantitative Analysis of Current–Voltage Characteristics of Semiconducting Nanowires: Decoupling of Contact Effects

A metal‐semiconductor‐metal (M‐S‐M) model for quantitative analysis of current–voltage (I–V) characteristics of semiconducting nanowires is described and applied to fit experimental I–V curves of Bi₂S₃ nanowire transistors. The I–V characteristics of semiconducting nanowires are found to depend sensitively on the contacts, in particular on the Schottky barrier height and contact area, and the M‐S‐M model is shown to be able to reproduce all experimentally observed I–V characteristics using only few fitting variables. A procedure for decoupling contact effects from that of the intrinsic parameters of the semiconducting nanowires, such as conductivity, carrier mobility and doping concentration is proposed, demonstrated using experimental I–V curves obtained from Bi₂S₃ nanowires and compared with the field‐effect based method.     

Solution‐Processed HafSOx and ZircSOx Inorganic Thin‐Film Dielectrics and Nanolaminates

New thin‐film dielectrics and nanolaminates have been synthesized via aqueous‐solution deposition of Hf and Zr sulfates, where facile gelation and vitrification of the precursor solution have been achieved without organic additives. X‐ray reflectivity, imaging, and metal‐insulator‐metal capacitor performance reveal that smooth, atomically dense films are readily produced by spin coating and modest thermal treatment (T < 325 °C). Dielectric characteristics include permittivities covering the range of 9–12 with breakdown fields up to 6 MV cm^–1. Performance as gate dielectrics is demonstrated in field‐effect transistors exhibiting small gate‐leakage currents and qualitatively ideal device performance. The low‐temperature processing, uniformity, and pore‐free nature of the films have also allowed construction of unique, high‐resolution nanolaminates exhibiting individual layers as thin as 3 nm.     

Steady‐State and Transient Behavior of Organic Electrochemical Transistors

In recent years, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have emerged as attractive devices for a variety of applications, particularly in the area of sensing. While the electrical characteristics of OECTs are analogous to those of conventional organic field effect transistors, appropriate models for OECTs have not yet been developed. In particular, little is known about the transient characteristics of OECTs, which are determined by a complex interplay between ionic and electronic motion. In this paper a simple model is presented that reproduces the steady‐state and transient response of OECTs by considering these devices in terms of an ionic and an electronic circuit. A simple analytical expression is derived that can be used to fit steady‐state OECT characteristics. For the transient regime, comparison with experimental data allowed an estimation of the hole mobility in poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate). This work paves the way for rational optimization of OECTs.     

Charge Trapping in Intergrain Regions of Pentacene Thin Film Transistors

A scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) study of the surface potential of vacuum sublimed pentacene transistors under bias stress and its correlation with the film morphology is presented. While for thicker films there are some trapping centers inhomogeneously distributed over the film, as previously reported by other authors, by decreasing the film thickness the effect of thin intergrain regions (IGRs) becomes clear and a very good correlation between the topography and the potential data is observed. It is shown that in the thick pentacene grains the potential is homogeneous and independent of the gate bias applied with negligible charge trapping, while in the thin IGRs the potential varies with the applied gate bias, indicating that only an incomplete accumulation layer can be formed. Clear evidence for preferential charge trapping in the thin IGRs is obtained.     

8-羟基喹啉铝作为修饰层对C60有机场效应管性能影响的研究

采用真空蒸镀技术制备了以喹啉铝(tris(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum, Alq3)作为修饰层的C60有机场效应管器件,并研究了修饰层的厚度对于器件性能的影响。实验表明,随着Alq3修饰层厚度的增加,器件的性能参数得到改进。当Alq3修饰层厚度为10nm时,器件场效应的迁移率达到最大值,为1.2810-2cm2/Vs,阈值电压也下降到了10V。分析了缓冲层使器件性能提高的主要原因可能有两个：一个是可以阻止金属原子扩散进入C60有机层,另一个是使Al/C60界面间的沟道电阻降低。     

Battery Drivable Organic Single‐Crystalline Transistors Based on Surface Grafting Ultrathin Polymer Dielectric

High‐performance and battery drivable organic single‐crystalline transistors with operational voltages ≤ 2.0 V are demonstrated using high‐quality copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) single‐crystalline nanoribbons and ultrathin polymer nanodielectrics. The ultrathin polymer nanodielectric is synthesized by grafting a ca. 10 nm poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) brush on a silicon surface via surface‐initiated atom‐transfer radical polymerization (SI‐ATRP). This surface‐grafted nanodielectric exhibits a large capacitance, excellent insulating property, and good compatibility with organic semiconductors. The realization of a low operational voltage for battery driving at high performance, together with the merits of surface grafting of a nanodielectric, as well as the mechanical flexibility of the organic nanoribbon, suggests a bright future for use of these transistors in low‐cost and flexible circuits.     

SiGe基区异质结晶体管电流和频率特性的解析模型

给出了一个适用于分析SiGe基区异质结晶体管电流和频率特性的解析模型,并利用该模型分析了基区掺杂和组分均级变的SiGe异质结晶体管的电流增益、截止频率、最高振荡频率。模型中考虑了由于基区重掺杂和Ge的掺入引起的禁带窄变效应、载流子速度饱和效应。解析模型的计算结果与实验的对比证实了本模型可适用于器件的优化设计和电路的模拟。