PRESS RELEASE

Approaching Trap-Minimized Polymer Thin-Film Transistors

 

Authors
Gyo Kitahara, Mitsuhiro Ikawa, Satoshi Matsuoka, Shunto Arai, Tatsuo Hasegawa.

Abstract
Semiconducting π-conjugated polymers are the most promising candidates for flexible electronics owing to their facile processability and mechanical robustness; however, achieving steep and stable switching operations in polymer thin-film transistors (TFTs) remains a serious challenge. Herein, it is shown that whole optimizations for eliminating interfacial carrier traps throughout the conductive path are necessary in achieving TFTs showing both exceptionally sharp switching and bias-stress-free characteristics. Inverted-coplanar-type TFTs composed of a highly lyophobic amorphous perfluoropolymer gate–dielectric interfaced with a push-coated semiconducting polymer layer are manufactured. The use of the dielectric allows the establishment of bias-stress-free characteristics with minimized contact resistance. Additionally, fairly sharp on/off switching TFTs with the smallest normalized subthreshold swing can be obtained by utilizing a particular donor–acceptor copolymer that involves a self-passivation mechanism working to achieve a trap-minimized interface. These findings have opened a way for low-power and robust device operations in polymer-based flexible electronics.



Advanced Functional Materials : https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adfm.202105933