Patterning Large Arrays of Organic Semiconductor Single Crystals

Stanford University, Stanford CA

Investigators

Abstract

This project provides a fundamental understanding the parameters that affect the nucleation and growth of organic semiconductors from vapor phase for the fabrication of large arrays of organic transistor devices with single crystal channels. Due to the polycrystalline nature of thin films, thin film devices rarely reach the high mobilities of single crystal devices due to trapping at grain boundaries. In order to significantly improve device performance, single crystals and single crystalline films are being provided to produce large arrays of single crystal devices for practical applications. Although technologically challenging, the realization of large arrays of single crystal devices will lead to dramatic performance improvement of organic semiconductor based devices. Detailed studies will be carried out to investigate effects of surface topology, chemical interactions between surface chemical functionalities and organic semiconductors, orientation of the chemical groups, ordering of the chemical groups, and distribution of chemical groups on the substrate surface. %%% Organic semiconductors are promising candidates as the active elements in plastic circuits, particularly those using field-effect transistors (FETs) as switching or logic elements. Providing the mechanisms for patterning and investigating the numerous parameters that affect the nucleation and growth of organic semiconductors from vapor phase for the fabrication of large arrays of organic transistor devices with single crystal channels will advance an understanding of organic semiconductor nucleation and growth in general. This research will expose both under-represented graduate students and undergraduates to organic chemistry, surface chemistry, materials and thin film characterization, device fabrication, and device characterization. They will also learn the multidisciplinary approach to problem solving.