Solution-processed flexible organic transistors showing very-low subthreshold slope with a bilayer polymeric dielectric on plastic

Abstract

We demonstrate low-voltage, solution-processed organic transistors on rough plastic substrates with a carrier mobility over 0.2 cm2/V s, a turn-on voltage of near 0 V, and a record low subthreshold slope of ∼80 mV/decade in ambient conditions. These exceptional characteristics are attributed to (1) a device stacking architecture with a conducting polymeric gate and a double layered dielectric composed of low-temperature cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol), (2) a low interface trap density achieved by modifying the dielectric surface with a phenyl-terminated self-assembled monolayer from 4-phenylbutyltrichlorosilane, and (3) controlled crystallization of a small-molecule organic semiconductor film with favorable charge transport microstructure and a low bulk trap density as deposited by an optimized solution-shearing process. The device performance under different operating voltages was also examined and discussed.