ORGANICS: A Spectroscopic Probe of Charge Injection Phenomena in Polymer Field Effect Transistors

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

The objective of this proposal is to systematically investigate charge injection in polymer-based field-effect transistors (FET) using a novel spectroscopic approach. The spectroscopic probe will allow the team to study and elucidate charge-injection effects in the parameter space that is unattainable by other techniques. The experimental work will be coordinated with the theoretical analysis of the electronic structure, phonon spectrum and polaron formation in polymers as well as by the examination of the electrostatic potential and Schottky barriers developed in FET devices. FET devices with Poly(3-hexylthiophene) as the active semiconductor will be the test bed of this research program. Apart from fundamental aspects of the problem, the issue of charge injection is of paramount practical interest in view of numerous electronics and photonics device schemes based on FET architecture. The experimental approaches developed within this project can be readily extended to study injection in a variety of FET devices based on other classes of semiconductors. Intellectual merits of the proposed work: this team of investigators will address some of the long-standing problems in the physics and materials science of polymer FET devices employing entirely novel experimental approaches. Broader impact of proposed activities: the integration of research and education within this challenging program will aid the preparation of highly skilled personnel with expertise in an area of high demand both in academia and in industry.