Abstract
Conjugated polymer field-effect transistors are emerging as an enabling technology for flexible electronics due to their excellent mechanical properties combined with sufficiently high charge-carrier mobilities and compatibility with large-area, low-temperature processing. However, their electrical stability remains a concern. ON-state (accumulation mode) bias-stress instabilities in organic semiconductors have been widely studied, and multiple mitigation strategies have been suggested. In contrast, OFF-state (depletion mode) bias-stress instabilities remain poorly understood despite being crucial for many applications in which the transistors are held in their OFF-state for most of the time. Here, a simple method of using an antisolvent treatment is presented to achieve significant improvements in OFF-state bias-stress and environmental stability as well as general device performance for one of the best performing polymers, solution-processable indacenodithiophene-co-benzothiadiazole (IDT-BT). IDT-BT is weakly crystalline, and the notable improvements to an antisolvent-induced, increased degree of crystallinity, resulting in a lower probability of electron trapping and the removal of charge traps is attributed. The work highlights the importance of the microstructure in weakly crystalline polymer films and offers a simple processing strategy for achieving the reliability required for applications in flexible electronics.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 2205377 |
Journal | Advanced Materials |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 16 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 20 2023 |
Externally published | Yes |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Materials Science
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering
Keywords
- bias-stress effects
- electron trapping
- organic field-effect transistors
- solvent treatments
- stability