Large-scale field-effect transistors based on solution-grown organic single crystals are fabricated

However, single-crystal devices are practically difficult to fabricate. For both fundamental studies and technological applications, high-throughput fabrication of single-crystal FETs is highly desired for either examination of device performance statistics or realization of a large array of devices and has attracted the attention of researchers from both academia and industry.

In an article published in Science Bulletin, Prof. Hanying Li's research group describe a simple solution processing method where well-aligned single-crystals of organic semiconductors throughout a 1cm × 2cm substrate can be grown from a droplet pinned by a metal needle.

The well-controlled alignment of the crystals originates from the unidirectional receding of the pinned droplet regulated by the capillary force. Because of the crystal alignment in a large area, fabrication of device arrays become possible.

More importantly, this simple method is applicable to a wide range of organic semiconductors and potentially to inorganic materials, with six examples including both p- and n-channel materials demonstrated in this work.

Furthermore, large-scale FET arrays are fabricated and studied, using TIPS-pentacene crystals (a well-known p-channel material) as an example.

Among the 330 devices randomly selected from 2 substrates, an average hole mobility (μ) of 3.44 ± 1.21 cm2V-1s-1 with the maximum value of 6.46 cm2V-1s-1, on-to-off current ratios (I on/I off) > 10 5, and threshold voltages (VT) between -20 to -58 V were achieved.

Among the 330 devices, 328 FETs showed the mobility above 1 cm2V-1s-1, the other two were 0.94 cm2V-1s-1 and 0.92 cm2V-1s-1 respectively. The achieved FET performance is among the best reported ones. As such, this work provides a highly efficient, yet simple approach to evaluate the charge transport properties of organic semiconductors through examining the performance statistics of single-crystal devices.

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See the article:

Shuang Liu, Jiake Wu, Congcheng Fan, Guobiao Xue, Hongzheng Chen, Huolin L. Xin and Hanying Li, “Large-scale fabrication of field-effect transistors based on solution-grown organic single crystals,” Science Bulletin, 2015, 60(12): 1122-1127. doi: 10.1007/s11434-015-0817-9.

http://www.scibull.com:8080/EN/abstract/abstract509845.shtml

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11434-015-0817-9