Designed organophosphonate self-assembled monolayers enhance device performance of pentacene-based organic thin-film transistors

(Figure Presented) Excellent device characteristics are measured for a pentacene-based thin film transistor where the SiO₂ gate dielectric is terminated with a self-assembled monolayer of 9,10-dinaphthylanthracene-2- phosphonate in which calculated molecular spacings are about 0.7 nm. This creates channels that are on the order of the "thickness" of an aromatic π system, which allows intercalation of pentacene units, favoring a π-stacking motif for this first pentacene layer.