Deoxyribonucleic acid-ceramic hybrid dielectrics for potential application as gate insulators in organic field effect transistors

Abstract

Hybrid films incorporating high dielectric constant k ceramics (BaTiO3 and TiO2) in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) were fabricated from highly stable dispersions of the ceramic nanoparticles in viscous, aqueous DNA solutions. Dielectric and electrical properties of the as-prepared nanocomposite films were investigated for potential use as gate insulators in organic field effect transistors. A k value as high as 14 was achieved with a 40 wt. % loading of ceramic nanoparticles in DNA. Electrical resistivities on the order of 1014 Ω cm with leakage current densities on the order of 10−9 A/cm2 were measured from current-voltage experiments under electric field biases up to 50 V/μm.