On the mode of operation in electrolyte-gated thin film transistors based on different substituted polythiophenes

Abstract

Organic Thin Film Transistors (OTFT), gated through an aqueous electrolyte, have extensively been studied as sensors in various applications. These water-gated devices are known to work both as electrochemical (Organic ElectroChemical Transistor – OECT) and field-effect (Organic Field-Effect Transistor – OFET) devices. To properly model and predict the response of water-gated OTFT sensors it is important to distinguish between the mechanism, field-effect or electrochemical, by which the transistor is modulated and thus how the gate signal can be affected by the analyte. In this present study we explore three organic polymer semiconductors, poly-(3-hexyl-thiophene) (P3HT), poly-(3-carboxy-pentyl-thiphene) (P3CPT) and a co-polymer P3HT–co-poly-(3-ethoxypentanoic acid-thiophene) (monomer ratio 1:6, P3HT–COOH15) in water-gated OTFT structures. We report a set of transistor characteristics, including standard output parameters, impedance spectroscopy and current transients, to investigate the origin of the mode of operation in these water-gated OTFTs. Impedance characteristics, including both frequency and voltage dependence, were recorded for capacitor stacks corresponding to the gate/electrolyte/semiconductor/source structure. It is shown that P3HT as well as P3HT–COOH15 both can function as semiconductors in water gated OTFT devices operating in field-effect mode. P3CPT on the other hand shows typical signs of electrochemical mode of operation. The –COOH side group has been suggested as a possible anchoring site for biorecognition elements in EGOFET sensors, rendering P3HT–COOH15 a possible candidate for such applications.