Organic Electronics by Self-Assembly

This thesis deals with the synthesis of new materials and their applications in n type field-effect transistors in order to improve device performance by using simple fabrication procedures at low temperatures. The first approach deals with field effect transistors based on zinc oxide nanoparticles. Stable dispersions of zinc oxide nanoparticles allow the fabrication of zinc oxide transistors by solution processes. Despite the high intrinsic electron mobilities of zinc oxide, a large surface to volume ratio of nanoparticles often prevents their use as active material in field-effect transistors. Dangling zinc bonds are present at the surface, which act as electron donor, leading to increased conductivity. Switching the transistor off becomes challenging. The use of a tailored perylene bisimide, chemically linked to pyrrolidone groups, allowed the passivation of the dangling zinc bonds at the particle surface. Mixing of this perylene bisimide into nanoparticulate zinc oxide dispersions allowed transistor fabrication by spin-coating at low temperatures. On/off-ratios of the resulting transistors could be enhanced by 3 orders of magnitude to 10^3, so that zinc oxide nanoparticles turn into a semiconductor. The second approach represents the main part of this thesis focusing on n type self assembled monolayer field-effect transistors (SAMFETs). It is known that approximately 90% of charge transport in field-effect transistors is managed just by an ultra-thin layer close to the dielectric. Due to the absence of bulk current, on/off ratios in SAMFETs are enhanced without disadvantages to charge mobility or threshold voltage. The molecules for SAMFET applications typically consist of a semiconducting core, an endcapper on one side, and a reactive group on the other side, which is fixed to the core via a spacer. In this thesis, the well known perylene bisimides were chosen as semiconducting core. A branched alkyl tail acted as endcapper, whereas a linear C11 alkyl tail takes over the spacer part. As reactive group a phosphonic acid was chosen, which enables covalent fixation to aluminium oxide, a common dielectric for transistor applications. SAMFETs were fabricated by submerging transistor substrates into a dilute solution of the active molecule. During the immersion, the perylene bisimides reacts spontaneously to the aluminium oxide dielectric, forming a monomolecular layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a dense, homogeneous, and smooth monolayer on top of aluminium oxide. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) measurements confirmed the expected three regions, endcapper, semiconducting core, and spacer, perpendicularly ordered to the surface. In plane order was investigated by grazing incidence measurements (GIXD), which resulted in a nano-crystalline layer. SAMFETs showed bulk like electron mobilities of 10^-3 cm2/Vs. High on/off-ratios up to 10^5 and low threshold voltages were achieved. SAMFETs with channel length up to 100 micrometer were measured for the first time. The fact that all measured transistors, short channel as well as long channel, were working, indicated a high degree of reproducibility. Furthermore, by combining n-type and p type SAMFETs, the first CMOS bias inverter, solely based on SAMFETs, with large gain values up to 15, was realized. To further improve SAMFET performance, the branched alkyl tail was replaced by a short linear fluorinated alkyl tail, with the intention to increase the surface coverage of the chromophores by a more slender design of the molecule. SAMFETs were fabricated with the same simple method as described above. XPS measurements showed a complete coverage of an organic layer with a thickness matching perfectly the simulated length of the molecule. In contrast to the previous SAMFETs, the phosphorous was located mainly at the aluminium oxide surface and not, as before, throughout the organic layer. The fluorine atoms were detected at the top of the layer. Both observations are indicative for higher order of the monolayer. XRR measurements gave a consistent structure of the layer. A tree layer structure was found in which the electron density of the outer layer was enhanced, due to the presence of electron rich fluorine atoms. The thicknesses of all three layers were in good agreement to the calculated distances. Furthermore, GIXD studies revealed an amorphous SAM on top of aluminium oxide, optimal for charge transport without disturbing grain boundaries. The new SAMFETs were also highly reproducible and showed electron mobilities on the order of 10^-3 cm2/Vs, low onset voltages, and high on/off-ratios in the order of 10^6. Besides SAMFETs on common non-flexible silicon substrates, comparable n-type SAMFETs were also fabricated on polymer based substrates for the first time. Furthermore, a unipolar bias inverter was built, paving the way towards flexible organic electronics by self-assembly. In summary, all three publications of this thesis deal with the synthesis of semiconducting perylene bisimides and their implementation in n-type field-effect transistors. Reliable transistors and the first integrated CMOS-like circuits based solely on SAMFETs with high performances were achieved, made by simplest solution processes at low temperatures.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Bayreuth

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Ringk, Andreas

Contributors dc:contributor

• Strohriegl

Repository record source_url

https://epub.uni-bayreuth.de/id/eprint/140/

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:epub.uni-bayreuth.de:140