Liquid-crystalline semiconducting polymers with high charge-carrier mobility.
Organic semiconductors that can be fabricated by simple processing techniques and possess excellent electrical performance, are key requirements in the progress of organic electronics. Both high semiconductor charge-carrier mobility, optimized through understanding and control of the semiconductor microstructure, and stability of the semiconductor to ambient electrochemical oxidative processes are required. We report on new semiconducting liquid-crystalline thieno[3,2-b ]thiophene polymers, the enhancement in charge-carrier mobility achieved through highly organized morphology from processing in the mesophase, and the effects of exposure to both ambient and low-humidity air on the performance of transistor devices. Relatively large crystalline domain sizes on the length scale of lithographically accessible channel lengths ( approximately 200 nm) were exhibited in thin films, thus offering the potential for fabrication of single-crystal polymer transistors. Good transistor stability under static storage and operation in a low-humidity air environment was demonstrated, with charge-carrier field-effect mobilities of 0.2-0.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) achieved under nitrogen.
McCulloch
Iain
I
Merck Chemicals, Chilworth Science Park, Southampton S016 7QD, UK.
Heeney
Martin
M
Bailey
Clare
C
Genevicius
Kristijonas
K
Macdonald
Iain
I
Shkunov
Maxim
M
Sparrowe
David
D
Tierney
Steve
S
Wagner
Robert
R
Zhang
Weimin
W
Chabinyc
Michael L
ML
Kline
R Joseph
RJ
McGehee
Michael D
MD
Toney
Michael F
MF