Low Sheet Resistance Research Articles

Multifunctional polyimides for resistive switching memory devices based on flexible transparent polyimide–silver nanowires hybrid electrodes

AbstractWith the quick development of flexible memory electronics, multifunctional organic materials have been the necessary for fabricating electronics. In this work, the highly transparent and flexible electrode was successfully prepared by coating the high‐performance silver nanowires (AgNWs) onto the colorless polyimide (PI) substrate. The prepared flexible PI–AgNWs electrodes exhibited a relatively low sheet resistance of 15 Ω/sq with the high transparency of 68% at the wavelength of 400 nm. A novel kind of polyimide TPC6FPI was successfully synthesized and characterized with the excellent thermostability and high glass transition temperature (Tg) above 250°C. Furthermore, a kind of flexible transparent PI–AgNWs/TPC6FPI/Al resistive memory device was prepared and exhibited good SRAM switching behavior with the threshold voltage of around 2.1 V and the ON/OFF current ratio of ˜104, which indicated that multifunctional PI‐based memory device showed the potential to the wearable devices.

TCO-free dye solar cells based on Ti back contact electrode by facile printing method

The back contact dye solar cells (BCDSCs), in which the TCO(Transparent Conductive oxide) is omitted, have a potential for use of intact low-cost general substrates such as glass, metal foil and papers. Herein, we introduce a facile manufacturing method of a Ti back contact electrode (Ti BCE) for the BCDSCs. We found that the polylinkers such as poly(butyl titanate) have a strong binding property to make Ti particles connect one with another. A porous Ti film, which consists of Ti particles of ≤ 10㎛ size connected by a small amount of polylinkers, has an excellent low sheet resistance of 10 Ω sq-1 for an efficient electron collection for DSCs. This Ti BCE can be prepared by using a facile printing method under normal ambient conditions. Conjugating the new back contact electrode technology with the traditional monolithic structure using the carbon counter electrode, we fabricated TCO-less DSCs. These four-layer structurered DSCs consist of a dye-adsorbed nanocrystalline TiO2 film on a glass substrate, a porous Ti back contact layer, a ZrO2 spacer layer and a carbon counter electrode in a layered structure. Under AM 1.5 G and 100 mWcm−2 simulated sunlight illumination, the four-layer structurered DSCs with N719 dyes and I-/I3-redox electrolytes achieved PCEs up to 5.21 %.

Tailoring Optical Properties in Transparent Highly Conducting Perovskites by Cationic Substitution.

SrMoO3 , SrNbO3 , and SrVO3 are remarkable highly conducting d1 (V, Nb) or d2 (Mo) perovskite metals with an intrinsically high transparency in the visible. A key scientific question is how the optical properties of these materials can be manipulated to make them suitable for applications as transparent electrodes and in plasmonics. Here, it is shown how 3d/4d cationic substitution in perovskites tailors the relevant materials parameters, i.e., optical transition energy and plasma frequency. With the example of the solid-state solution SrV1- x Mox O3 , it is shown that the absorption and reflection edges can be shifted to the edges of the visible light spectrum, resulting in a material that has the potential to outperform indium tin oxide (ITO) due to its extremely low sheet resistance. An optimum for x= 0.5, where a resistivity of 32µΩ cm (≈12Ωsq-1 ) is paired with a transmittance above 84% in the whole visible spectrum is found. Quantitative comparison between experiments and electronic structure calculations show that the shift of the plasma frequency is governed by the interplay of d-band filling and electronic correlations. This study advances the knowledge about the peculiar class of highly conducting perovskites toward sustainable transparent conductors and emergent plasmonics.

Aluminum‐Doped ZnO Weld Silver Nanowires‐Based High Transmittance, Low Sheet Resistance, and Tough Composite Transparent Conductive Films

Herein, silver nanowires (AgNWs) and aluminum‐doped zinc oxide (AZO) are prepared by polyol and gel–sol method, respectively. Then bendable, strong adhesion, flat, and high optical transmittance AgNWs:AZO composite transparent conductive film (TCF) is prepared in an all‐solution method. By spinning the AZO to the upper layer of the AgNW networks and annealing at 120 °C for 20 min, the junctions of the AgNW networks are welded by the capillary force in the solvent evaporation and AZO crystallization process. The sheet resistance of the TCF is as low as 12.9 Ω sq−1 at an optical transmittance of 92.1% (@550 nm), which is comparable to the indium tin oxide film on glass. The root means square roughness is reduced from 30.1 to 8.48 nm to match the criteria as anode for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Furthermore, the adhesion between the AgNW networks and the substrate has been significantly improved. Finally, a flexible green OLED device with AgNW:AZO TCF as the anode is successfully prepared. The maximum luminous intensity of the prepared OLED is 10 060 cd m−2, and the maximum current efficiency is 6.43 cd A−1, which proves the great potential of the film in flexible electronics.

Copper laser patterning on a flexible substrate using a cost-effective 3D printer

We studied the cost effective direct laser patterning of copper (Cu) on thin polyimide substrates (PI thickness: 12.5–50 µm) using a 405 nm laser module attached to an inexpensive 3D printer. The focal length of the laser was intentionally controlled to reduce defects on patterned Cu and surface damage of PI under predetermined process conditions. The appropriate focal length was examined at various focal distances. Focal distances of − 2.4 mm and 3 mm were found for the shorter focal length (SFL) and longer focal length (LFL), respectively, compared to the actual focal length. This resulted in clean Cu line patterns without line defects. Interestingly, the SFL case had a different Cu growth pattern to that of LFL, indicating that the small difference in the laser incident angle could affect Cu precursor sintering. Cu square patterns had a lower resistivity of 70 μΩ·cm for an LFL after three or four laser scans, while the SFL showed a resistivity below 48 μΩ·cm for a one-time laser scan. The residues of the Cu precursor on PI were easily removed with flowing water and normal surfactants. However, the resistivity of the patterns decreased after cleaning. Among the scan gaps, the Cu square pattern formed at a 70 μm scan gap had the lowest sheet resistance and the least change in resistance from around 4 to 4.4 Ω/ϒ after cleaning. This result implies that the adhesion of the patterned Cu could be improved if the coated Cu precursor was well sintered under the proper process conditions. For the application of this method to bioelectronics, including biosensors, LEDs were connected to the Cu patterns on PI attached to the arm skin and worked well, even when the substrate PI was bent during power connecting.

Stable Ultrathin Ag Electrodes by Tailoring the Surface of Plastic Substrates for Flexible Organic Light-Emitting Devices.

Flexible transparent metal electrodes (FTMEs) have significant application potentials in the fields of flexible optoelectronic devices due to their outstanding optical transmittance and electrical conductivity. However, obtaining excellent optoelectrical properties and mechanical flexibility of FTMEs is challenging because ultrathin metal layers usually follow an island growth mode. In this paper, flexible transparent ultrathin Ag electrodes with high mechanical stability and good optoelectrical properties were exploited by tailoring the surface properties of plastic substrates with ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) treatment for regulating the nucleation and growth kinetics of Ag films. The composite transparent electrodes of Ag (9 nm)/MoO3 (20 nm) fabricated on the UVO-treated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates possess a low sheet resistance of ∼7.9 Ω/sq, a high optical transmittance of ∼87.2% at 550 nm, a long-period environmental stability of 30 days (∼65 °C, ∼80% humidity), and excellent mechanical flexibility of 100,000 bending cycles at a bending radius of 1.5 mm. These properties are derived from the surface treatment of PET substrates by UVO, which increases substrate surface energy and produces chemical nucleation sites of the phenolic hydroxyl groups. The phenolic hydroxyl groups generated on the PET surface not only provided efficient nucleation sites for subsequent Ag film growth but also formed C-O-Ag bonds between the substrate surface and the Ag layer, which act as "anchor chains" to fix firmly the Ag atoms on the substrate surface. As a universal applicability strategy, the composite electrodes on the UVO-treated polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and norland optical adhesive 63 (NOA63) substrates also possess excellent optoelectrical properties and mechanical flexibility. Based on the ultrathin Ag composite electrodes, the flexible white organic light-emitting devices with PET, PEN, and NOA63 as substrates present the maximum current efficiencies of 53.0, 77.0, and 65.2 cd/A, respectively.

Highly stable self-passivated MoO3-doped graphene film with nonvolatile MoO layer

The realization of high-performance graphene-based electronics, including transparent electrodes, flexible devices, and energy storage, is often hindered by the lack of adequate doping, which provides a stable and low sheet resistance. In this study, we demonstrate a highly stable MoO 3 -doped graphene obtained simply through a self-passivation. Graphene deposited with a 5-nm-thick MoO 3 exhibited a significant decrease in sheet resistance upon annealing at 400 °C under a hydrogen atmosphere. Surface and structural analyses confirmed that MoO 3 was converted to MoO x by thermal annealing, which consisted of mainly crystalline MoO 3 and Mo 4 O 11 with coexisting MoO 2 . A field-effect transistor fabricated using the MoO x -doped graphene exhibited a p-type characteristic similar to that of the MoO 3 -doped graphene. However, unlike the MoO 3 -doped graphene severely degraded by environment, the MoO x -doped graphene exhibited stable electrical properties after air exposure and chemical immersion owing to the chemically inert Mo 4 O 11 and MoO 2 acting as passivation layers while maintaining the p-type doping by MoO 3 . Thus, we expect that the highly stable MoO x -doped graphene obtained via the simple method will facilitate the fabrication and contribute to the performance reliability of various graphene-based electronic devices. • Highly stable MoO 3 -doped graphene through self-passivation by oxygen deficient MoO x • Simple way of thermal annealing for the synthesis of oxygen deficient MoO x -doped graphene • MoO x -doped graphene with p-type semiconducting characteristics • Excellent stability and chemical durability of MoO x -doped graphene

Transparent Ultrawideband Halved Coplanar Vivaldi Antenna With Metal Mesh Film

In this letter, a transparent ultrawideband (UWB) halved coplanar Vivaldi antenna (HCVA) with metal mesh film (MMF) is proposed. Based on the equivalence principle, the halved type antenna is achieved by replacing a radiation fin with the ground plane. The proposed HCVA has the advantages of UWB impedance matching, miniaturized aperture size, high directivity, and simple feed structure. By employing MMF with a low sheet resistance of 0.35 Ω/sq and high optical transmittance above 72% in the radiation fin and ground plane, the antenna is entirely transparent. An example transparent HCVA is fabricated and measured. According to the simulated and measured results, most of the reflection coefficient is below –10 dB from 0.78 to 20 GHz. Moreover, the peak realized gain reaches 10.4 dBi with the compact size of 0.32×0.47×0.052 <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">λ_L</i> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> , where <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">λ_L</i> is the wavelength at the lowest operating frequency.

High-temperature resistance of flexible transparent conductive films based on Ag@SnO2 core-shell nanowires for 300 °C

• Ag NWs are encapsulated uniformly in thin SnO 2 shells via solution grown method. • FTCF possess high transmittance of 85.3% and low sheet resistance of 9.3 Ω/sq. • EDS mapping results show that SnO 2 shell is formed on surface of Ag NW. • FTCFs are robust and able to withstand high temperature of 300 ℃. High-temperature resistance of flexible transparent conductive film (FTCF), consisting of an Ag@SnO 2 core−shell nanowire (Ag NW@SnO 2 ) network embedded in a colorless polyimide (cPI), is fabricated by all-solution-process. The Ag NW@SnO 2 are synthesized via a redox reaction in the presence of water. The energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping results demonstrate that a SnO 2 thin-shell is coated uniformly on the surface of Ag NW. The obtained FTCF shows low sheet resistance of 9.3 Ω/sq. with ∼85.3% of optical transmittance. Imbedding the Ag NW@SnO 2 network into cPI film enhances the thermostability and improves the mechanical flexibility of the FTCF. Particularly, the FTCFs can withstand a high temperature of 300 ℃ in air without deterioration of conductivity. The robust high-temperature FTCFs in this study hold promising commercial application in flexible and high temperature occasions.

Flexible and ultrathin waterproof conductive cellular membranes based on conformally gold-coated PVDF nanofibers and their potential as gas diffusion electrode

Nanofiber membranes (NFMs) coated with noble metals are intensively researched for various applications such as wearable electronics, environmental sensors, and point of care diagnostics. To achieve the desired functionality while minimizing costs, a combination of facile coating methods and accurate microstructural designs is required, but remains elusive. Herein, novel conductive and porous membranes are designed based on a facile and scalable approach to fabricating conformally coated gold layers on electrospun PVDF fibers (Au-PVDF-NFMs) via electroless plating. The deposition of a conformal and fully interconnected gold layer with an average thickness of circa 38 nm on the surface of nanofibers is confirmed by systematic characterizations. The high-conjunction gold layers endows a high electrical conductivity to the membranes, yielding a low sheet resistance of 1.2 Ω/sq. In addition, the membranes show integrated functionalities such as hydrophobicity and gas permeability. Notably, the NFMs also show excellent mechanical durability under both stretching and bending, with negligible conductivity losses after 1000 test cycles. Thanks to these properties, the Au-PVDF-NFMs demonstrates practical suitability as gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs) for electrochemical CO2 reduction. The Au-PVDF-NFMs exhibit a substantial Faradaic efficiency towards CO, as high as ∼ 85 % at −0.7 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), and are able to reach current densities of 100 mA cm−2 at −0.95 V versus RHE.

Amphiphilic Silver Nanoparticles for Inkjet-Printable Conductive Inks.

The large-scale manufacturing of flexible electronics is nowadays based on inkjet printing technology using specially formulated conductive inks, but achieving adequate wetting of different surfaces remains a challenge. In this work, the development of a silver nanoparticle-based functional ink for printing on flexible paper and plastic substrates is demonstrated. Amphiphilic silver nanoparticles with narrow particle size distribution and good dispersibility were prepared via a two-step wet chemical synthesis procedure. First, silver nanoparticles capped with poly(acrylic acid) were prepared, followed by an amidation reaction with 3-morpholynopropylamine (MPA) to increase their lipophilicity. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to study the interactions between the particles and the dispersion medium in detail. The amphiphilic nanoparticles were dispersed in solvents of different polarity and their physicochemical and rheological properties were determined. A stable ink containing 10 wt% amphiphilic silver nanoparticles was formulated and inkjet-printed on different surfaces, followed by intense pulsed light (IPL) sintering. Low sheet resistances of 3.85 Ω sq-1, 0.57 Ω sq-1 and 19.7 Ω sq-1 were obtained for the paper, coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and uncoated polyimide (PI) flexible substrates, respectively. Application of the nanoparticle ink for printed electronics was demonstrated via a simple flexible LED circuit.

A crack templated copper network film as a transparent conductive film and its application in organic light-emitting diode

In this paper, a highly transparent, low sheet resistance copper network film fabricated by a crack template, which made by drying an acrylic based colloidal dispersion. The fabricated copper network film shows excellent optoelectronic performances with low sheet resistance of 13.4 Ω/sq and high optical transmittance of 93% [excluding Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate] at 550 nm. What’s more, the surface root mean square of the copper network film is about 4 nm, and the figure of merit is about 380. It’s comparable to that of conventional indium tin oxide thin film. The repeated bending cycle test and adhesive test results confirm the reliability of the copper network film. As a transparent conductive film, the copper network film was used as an anode to prepare organic light-emitting diode (OLED). The experiment results show that the threshold voltage of the OLED is less than 5 V and the maximum luminance is 1587 cd/m2.

Self-assembled growing ultrathin Ag@NiO core-shell nanowires for stable freestanding transparent conductive colorless polyimide nanomembranes

Among the alternatives to indium tin oxide, silver nanowire (Ag NW) networks have received widespread attention for their superior optoelectronic properties. However, the rapid degradation of Ag under ambient conditions essentially limits its practical application. In this paper, we innovatively propose the synthesis of ultrathin Ag@NiO core-shell nanowires by a simple and low-cost solution method to enhance the thermal, electrical and chemical stability of NWs. The Ni2+ and Ag atoms undergo a redox reaction in the presence of water, and a reasonable mechanism of NiO formation is proposed. The Ag@NiO NW networks show low sheet resistance of 12.1 Ω/sq. and high transmittance of 84.8%. The encapsulation of the NiO shell can significantly improve their resistance to heat (85 °C) and humidity (85%) for 96 h, and NaCl solution for 200 min, while their resistance remains similar to the original values. The stable free-standing transparent conductive nanomembrane (FTCNM), consisting of an Ag@NiO NW nanowire network embedded in an ultrathin colorless polyimide, is fabricated by all-solution-process, which is perfectly conformal with human skin. We also present a skin-attachable capacitive nanomembrane sensor based on the FTCNM, the sensor shows remarkable pressure-sensing capability.

All-in-one structured textile energy storage electrodes prepared via Janus bond assembly-induced electrodeposition

One of the most critical issues in developing high-performance textile-based energy storage (TES) electrodes is to effectively incorporate conductive and electrochemically active components into insulating textiles, maintaining the high mechanical flexibility and large surface area of pristine textiles. Herein, we report a high-performance TES electrode prepared from a Janus bond assembly of nonnoble metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) and subsequent electrodeposition. First, tetraoctylammonium-stabilized copper sulfide NPs (TOA-CuxS NPs) with a diameter of ∼10 nm were synthesized in organic media, which were Janus bond layer-by-layer (JB LbL)-assembled with cysteamine (CA) linkers onto cotton textiles. In this case, CA linkers directly and robustly bridged all the interfaces between the OH-functionalized textile and CuxS NPs as well as between neighboring CuxS NPs. Additionally, the JB LbL-assembled CuxS NPs perfectly converted the insulating textile to a conductive textile with a uniform fibril structure and oxidation stability. For the preparation of pseudocapacitive textiles, the subsequent Ni electrodeposition was further carried out onto the conductive and hydrophilic (TOA-CuxS NP/CA)n multilayer-coated textile. The formed TES electrodes exhibited a low sheet resistance of 0.03 Ω sq−1, a highly uniform fibril structure, a considerably high areal capacitance of 2.56 F cm−2 (at 3 mA cm−2), and high operational stability (i.e., capacity retention of 88.6 % after 10,000 cycles).

Superhydrophobic hollow magnetized Fe3O4 nanospheres/MXene fabrics for electromagnetic interference shielding

The development of high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials is urgently needed to mitigate electromagnetic radiation pollution. Two-dimensional transition metal carbides (MXenes) are promising EMI shielding materials because of their high metallic electrical conductivity. However, tuning the EMI shielding performance of MXene composites remains challenging via the structure engineering strategy. Herein, we develop a layer-by-layer assembling strategy to construct multilayer sandwiched hollow magnetic Fe3O4 nanospheres (HFO)/MXene on flexible nonwoven fabrics. The fabricated Fe3O4/MXene composite fabrics (HFMs) exhibit low sheet resistance (4.6 Ω/□), super-hydrophobicity, self-cleaning, and good EMI shielding performance (EMI shielding effectiveness of 33.28 dB). More importantly, the EMI shielding mechanism of HFMs is tunable according to the loaded active materials. Thus, the mechanism can alternate from absorption to reflection. Moreover, the HFMs exhibit good electrothermal performance and can be used as a wearable heater for personal thermal management. This work provides a new approach for the structural design of high EMI shielding materials, and paves the way for the development of wearable electronics.

Comprehensive Analysis of Phosphorus-Doped Silicon Annealed by Continuous-Wave Laser Beam at High Scan Speed.

We report an in-depth analysis of phosphorus (P)-doped silicon (Si) with a continuous-wave laser source using a high scan speed to increase the performance of semiconductor devices. We systematically characterized the P-doped Si annealed at different laser powers using four-point probe resistance measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), secondary-ion mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Notably, a significant reduction in sheet resistance was observed after laser annealing, which indicated the improved electrical properties of Si. TEM images confirmed the epitaxial growth of Si in an upward direction without a polycrystalline structure. Furthermore, we observed the activation of P without diffusion, irrespective of the laser power in the secondary-ion mass-spectrometry characterization. We detected negligible changes in lattice spacing for the main (400) XRD peak, showing an insignificant effect of the laser annealing on the strain. AFM images of the annealed samples in comparison with those of the as-implanted sample showed that the laser annealing did not significantly change the surface roughness. This study provides an excellent heating method with high potential to achieve an extremely low sheet resistance without diffusion of the dopant under a very high scan speed for industrial applications.

Room-temperature nanojoining of silver nanowires by graphene oxide for highly conductive flexible transparent electrodes

Flexible transparent electrodes for touch panels, solar cells, and wearable electronics are in great demand in recent years, and the silver nanowire (AgNW) flexible transparent electrode (FTE) is among the top candidates due to its excellent light transmittance and flexibility and the highest conductivity of silver among all metals. However, the conductivity of an AgNWs network has long been limited by the large contact resistance. Here we show a room-temperature solution process to tackle the challenge by nanojoining AgNWs with two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO). The conductivity of the AgNWs network is improved 18 times due to the enhanced junctions between AgNWs by the coated GOs, and the AgNW-GO FTE exhibits a low sheet resistance of 23 Ohm sq−1 and 88% light transmittance. It is stable under high temperature and current and their flexibility is intact after 1000 cycles of bending. Measurements of a bifunctional electrochromic device shows the high performance of the AgNW-GO FTE as a FTE.

Washable, stretchable, and reusable core–shell metal nanowire network-based electronics on a breathable polymer nanomesh substrate

Polymer nanofiber-based porous structures, referred to as “breathable devices,” have been recently developed to minimize user discomfort. Although these devices enable conformal integration to the skin with gas permeability, their performance and durability are significantly lower than those of conventional film-based devices. In this study, an ultradurable embedded Ag–Au core–shell nanowire network (AANN) on a nanomesh substrate is fabricated using the intense pulsed light irradiation and electroplating (IPL-EP) process. The AANN is designed to achieve breathability and durability without sacrificing device performance. It can be used in breathable nanomesh electronics and exhibits a low sheet resistance (1.4 Ω sq−1), cycle stability (above 20,000 cycles), stability in chemicals (water-based solutions and highly corrosive H2O2 solution), washability (20 washings), and reusability. Additionally, it is used in reusable conductive electronic textiles, and its applications as a reusable strain sensor for motion detection and wearable heater for thermal therapy are demonstrated. Furthermore, the AANN-based conductive thread exhibits excellent electrical performance (0.3 Ω cm−1) with durability and maintains its electrical characteristics after 50 wash cycles. The proposed process can enable large-scale fabrication of highly durable breathable electronics, electronic textiles, and other biomedical devices.

A fabric-based electrode for wearable piezoelectric nanogenerators to distinguish sense human motions

To develop a PENG with both good comfort and high performance, we designed a wearable Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode. Herein, PEI was used as a bridge to connect the Ag nanoparticles with cotton fabric by the LbL self-assembly method. The sheet resistance of the Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode reached 1.6 × 10−4 Ω·cm. We found that the Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode was more flexible and had better mechanical properties than the Cu metal electrode. The Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode also showed good antibacterial activity, suggesting that it could be safely used as a fabric in contact with human skin. Since the Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode had a low sheet resistance, it could be used as a replacement for the metal electrode traditionally used in composite PENGs. The output voltage and output current of the BT/PVDF-Ag/PEI/Cotton composite PENG were 1.8 V and 0.37 μA, respectively, and the output voltage was stable after 1500 cycles. The composite PENG prepared with the Ag/PEI/Cotton fabric electrode could sense various types of human motion. Herein, we provide a new method to fabricate a wearable fabric-based electrode, that can replace the conventional metal electrode to prepare composite PENGs. The BT/PVDF-Ag/PEI/Cotton composite PENG has extensive application prospects in motion monitoring and wearable devices.

Single-step treatment to improve conductivity of PEDOT:PSS by hydrobromic acid solution for application of transparent electrode

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) is the most well-known organic conducting material due to tunable conductivity, high transparency, facile processability and stability. Single-step post-treatment by DMSO solvent and hydrobromic acid solution in DMSO improved the electrical conductivity of pristine PEDOT:PSS from 0.4 S/cm to 632 S/cm and 1813 S/cm, respectively. Mechanism of conductivity improvement is associated to diffusion of DMSO solvent and HBr-DMSO solution into PEDOT:PSS which induce charge screening by forming hydrogen bonding and weaken the electrostatic interactions of conducting PEDOT and insulating PSS. This affect the phase separation of PEDOT and PSS, and washing away the separated excess-PSS result in conductive PEDOT grains observed by increased surface roughness through AFM height images. Analysis of Raman and vis-NIR spectra and Hall-effect measurement confirmed the improvement in oxidation state of PEDOT:PSS by HBr-DMSO treatment. Treated films showed very low sheet resistance of 85 Ω/□ with high transparency of 90% leading to figure of Merit (FOM) of 38 for transparent electrode. Treated film as anode of organic solar cell have shown better photovoltaic performance with PCE of 2.64% compared to PCE of 0.055% by untreated PEDOT:PSS. These results suggest that the treated PEDOT:PSS can replace ITO electrode in organic optoelectronic applications. • Single step post-treatment of PEDOT:PSS by DMSO and HBr-DMSO improved the conductivity. • Mechanism is attributed to phase separation, loss of PSS, higher conducting PEDOT by DMSO and further oxidation by HBr. • Mechanism is verified by AFM, UV–vis–NIR, Raman spectroscopy and Hall-effect measurement. • Improved conductivity with high transparency by HBr-DMSO resulted high figure of merit of 38 for transparent electrode. • Treated-film as anode of solar cell successfully improved the PCE and can be used for organic optoelectronic applications.