Fabrication of poly(3-hexylthiophene) thin films by vapor-phase polymerization for optoelectronic device applications.
The vapor-phase polymerization (VPP) of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was achieved successfully as an alternative method to conventional solution-based thin film fabrication. Using Fe(III)Cl(3).6H(2)O, a spontaneous reaction of 3-hexylthiophene monomers resulted in the rapid formation of conducting P3HT thin films directly on substrates, such as glass, indium-tin-oxide, and poly(ethylene terephthalate), at thicknesses ranging from 50 to 1000 nm. The VPP of P3HT was achieved using ferric chloride hexahydrate and a 1:1 ratio of a methanol/ethanol mixture as the solvent system. The developed VPP technique can provide good processing consistency with an electrical conductivity, a transmittance, and a surface roughness of approximately 10(-2) S/cm, >90%, and <10 nm, respectively.
Jang
Keon-Soo
KS
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Republic of Korea.
Eom
Yong-Sung
YS
Lee
Tae-Woo
TW
Kim
Dong O
DO
Oh
Yong-Soo
YS
Jung
Hyun-Chul
HC
Nam
Jae-Do
JD
D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D007204:Indium / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization
D011108:Polymers; D012997:Solvents; D013876:Thiophenes; D017971:Tin Compounds; C507295:poly(3-hexylthiophene); D007204:Indium; D000431:Ethanol; C045358:stannic oxide; D000432:Methanol