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.
Merck Chemicals, Chilworth Science Park, Southampton S016 7QD, UK.
Iain
I
McCulloch
Martin
M
Heeney
Clare
C
Bailey
Kristijonas
K
Genevicius
Iain
I
Macdonald
Maxim
M
Shkunov
David
D
Sparrowe
Steve
S
Tierney
Robert
R
Wagner
Weimin
W
Zhang
Michael L
ML
Chabinyc
R Joseph
RJ
Kline
Michael D
MD
McGehee
Michael F
MF
Toney