title: Spontaneous Formation of an Ideal-Like Field-Effect Channel for Decay-Free Polymeric Thin-Film Transistors by Multiple-Scale Phase Separation.
abstract: We demonstrate semiconducting polymer-based thin-film transistors (PTFTs) with fast switching performance and an uncommon nondecaying feature. These PTFTs based on widely studied poly(3-hexylthiophene) are developed by incorporating the insulating polymer into the active channel and subjecting the compound to specific, spontaneous multiple-scale phase separation (MSPS). An in-depth study is conducted on the interfacial and phase-separated microstructure of the semiconducting/insulating blending active layer and its effect on the electrical characteristics of PTFTs. The polyblends exhibit a confined crystallization behavior with continuously semiconducting crystalline domains between scattered insulator-rich domains. The insulator-rich domains can block leakage current and strengthen the gate control of the channel. A small amount of the insulating polymer penetrates the bottom of the active channel, resulting in effective interface modification. We show specific MSPS morphology of the present blending films to reduce charge trapping effects, enhance charge accumulation, and create a high-seed switching channel. The findings enable us to develop the required morphological conceptual model of the ideal-like field-effect-modulated polymer-based active channel. The polyblend-based PTFTs with MSPS morphology also have promising sensing functions. This study offers an effective approach for overcoming the major drawbacks (instability and poor switching) of PTFTs, thus allowing such transistors to have potential applications.
authors.affiliation: †Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Horng-Long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: †Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jr-Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: ‡Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jrjeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: †Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: †Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Chiao
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: †Department of Photonics, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Yang
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: §Graduate Institute of Applied Science and Technology, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 106, Taiwan.|∥Protrustech Corporation Limited, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Hsiang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: ⊥National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Kai
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: ⊥National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hwo-Shuenn
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sheu
keywords: AFM-Raman spectroscopy; electrostatic force microscopy; microstructure−property relationships; polyblends; semiconducting-insulating frameworks; thin-film transistors