title: Liquid-crystalline rigid-core semiconductor oligothiophenes: influence of molecular structure on phase behaviour and thin-film properties.
abstract: The design, synthesis and properties of liquid-crystalline semiconducting oligothiophenes containing dithienothiophene (DTT), benzothiadiazole (BTZ) and carbazole (CBZ) rigid cores are described. The effect of molecular structure (shape, size and substitution) on their thermal behaviour and electrical properties has been investigated. Polarised optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses have revealed highly ordered smectic mesophases for most of the newly synthesised compounds. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies performed at various temperatures have shown that the smectic order is retained in the crystalline state upon cooling across the transition temperature, affording cast films with a more favourable morphology for FET applications.
authors.affiliation: Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche, CNR-ISOF via P. Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna, Italy. mmelucci@isof.cnr.it
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melucci
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Favaretto
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bettini
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazzano
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Camaioni
authors.forename: Piera
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maccagnani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ostoja
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monari
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbarella