Showing papers on "Organic semiconductor published in 2011"
TL;DR: It is shown that mixing fine droplets of an antisolvent and a solution of an active semiconducting component within a confined area on an amorphous substrate can trigger the controlled formation of exceptionally uniform single-crystal or polycrystalline thin films that grow at the liquid–air interfaces.
Abstract: Printing electronic devices using semiconducting 'ink' is seen as a promising route to cheap, large-area and flexible electronics, but the performance of such devices suffers from the relatively poor crystallinity of the printed material. Hiromi Minemawari and colleagues have developed an inkjet-based printing technique involving controlled mixing on a surface of two solutions — the semiconductor (C8-BTBT) in its solvent and a liquid in which the semiconductor is insoluble. The products of this antisolvent crystallization technique are thin semiconductor films with exceptionally high and uniform crystallinity. The use of single crystals has been fundamental to the development of semiconductor microelectronics and solid-state science1. Whether based on inorganic2,3,4,5 or organic6,7,8 materials, the devices that show the highest performance rely on single-crystal interfaces, with their nearly perfect translational symmetry and exceptionally high chemical purity. Attention has recently been focused on developing simple ways of producing electronic devices by means of printing technologies. ‘Printed electronics’ is being explored for the manufacture of large-area and flexible electronic devices by the patterned application of functional inks containing soluble or dispersed semiconducting materials9,10,11. However, because of the strong self-organizing tendency of the deposited materials12,13, the production of semiconducting thin films of high crystallinity (indispensable for realizing high carrier mobility) may be incompatible with conventional printing processes. Here we develop a method that combines the technique of antisolvent crystallization14 with inkjet printing to produce organic semiconducting thin films of high crystallinity. Specifically, we show that mixing fine droplets of an antisolvent and a solution of an active semiconducting component within a confined area on an amorphous substrate can trigger the controlled formation of exceptionally uniform single-crystal or polycrystalline thin films that grow at the liquid–air interfaces. Using this approach, we have printed single crystals of the organic semiconductor 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) (ref. 15), yielding thin-film transistors with average carrier mobilities as high as 16.4 cm2 V−1 s−1. This printing technique constitutes a major step towards the use of high-performance single-crystal semiconductor devices for large-area and flexible electronics applications.
1,505 citations
TL;DR: In this review, recent developments in the area of high-electron-mobility diimides based on rylenes and related aromatic cores, particularly perylene- and naphthalene-diimide-based small molecules and polymers, for application in high-performance organic field-effect transistors and photovoltaic cells are summarized and analyzed.
Abstract: Organic electron-transporting materials are essential for the fabrication of organic p-n junctions, photovoltaic cells, n-channel field-effect transistors, and complementary logic circuits. Rylene diimides are a robust, versatile class of polycyclic aromatic electron-transport materials with excellent thermal and oxidative stability, high electron affinities, and, in many cases, high electron mobilities; they are, therefore, promising candidates for a variety of organic electronics applications. In this review, recent developments in the area of high-electron-mobility diimides based on rylenes and related aromatic cores, particularly perylene- and naphthalene-diimide-based small molecules and polymers, for application in high-performance organic field-effect transistors and photovoltaic cells are summarized and analyzed.
1,494 citations
TL;DR: A solution-processing technique in which lattice strain is used to increase charge carrier mobilities by introducing greater electron orbital overlap between the component molecules should aid the development of high-performance, low-cost organic semiconducting devices.
Abstract: A solution-processing method known as solution shearing is used to introduce lattice strain to organic semiconductors, thus improving charge carrier mobility. Solution-processed organic semiconductors show great promise for application in cheap and flexible electronic devices, but generally suffer from greatly reduced electronic performance — most notably charge-carrier mobilities — compared with their inorganic counterparts. Borrowing a trick from the inorganic semiconductor community, Giri et al. show how the introduction of strain into an organic semiconductor, through a simple solution-processing technique, modifies the molecular packing within the material and hence its electronic performance. For one material studied, the preparation of a strained structure is shown to more than double the charge-carrier mobility. Circuits based on organic semiconductors are being actively explored for flexible, transparent and low-cost electronic applications1,2,3,4,5. But to realize such applications, the charge carrier mobilities of solution-processed organic semiconductors must be improved. For inorganic semiconductors, a general method of increasing charge carrier mobility is to introduce strain within the crystal lattice6. Here we describe a solution-processing technique for organic semiconductors in which lattice strain is used to increase charge carrier mobilities by introducing greater electron orbital overlap between the component molecules. For organic semiconductors, the spacing between cofacially stacked, conjugated backbones (the π–π stacking distance) greatly influences electron orbital overlap and therefore mobility7. Using our method to incrementally introduce lattice strain, we alter the π–π stacking distance of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) from 3.33 A to 3.08 A. We believe that 3.08 A is the shortest π–π stacking distance that has been achieved in an organic semiconductor crystal lattice (although a π–π distance of 3.04 A has been achieved through intramolecular bonding8,9,10). The positive charge carrier (hole) mobility in TIPS-pentacene transistors increased from 0.8 cm2 V−1 s−1 for unstrained films to a high mobility of 4.6 cm2 V−1 s−1 for a strained film. Using solution processing to modify molecular packing through lattice strain should aid the development of high-performance, low-cost organic semiconducting devices.
965 citations
TL;DR: This Review focuses on four classes of thienoacenes, which are classified in terms of their chemical structures, and elucidates the molecular electronic structure of each class, and provides insight into new molecular design strategies for the development of superior organic semiconductors.
Abstract: Thienoacenes consist of fused thiophene rings in a ladder-type molecular structure and have been intensively studied as potential organic semiconductors for organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) in the last decade. They are reviewed here. Despite their simple and similar molecular structures, the hitherto reported properties of thienoacene-based OFETs are rather diverse. This Review focuses on four classes of thienoacenes, which are classified in terms of their chemical structures, and elucidates the molecular electronic structure of each class. The packing structures of thienoacenes and the thus-estimated solid-state electronic structures are correlated to their carrier transport properties in OFET devices. With this perspective of the molecular structures of thienoacenes and their carrier transport properties in OFET devices, the structure-property relationships in thienoacene-based organic semiconductors are discussed. The discussion provides insight into new molecular design strategies for the development of superior organic semiconductors.
813 citations
TL;DR: A new class of Co(III) complexes as p-type dopants for triarylamine-based hole conductors such as spiro-MeOTAD and their application in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSCs) is reported on.
Abstract: Chemical doping is an important strategy to alter the charge-transport properties of both molecular and polymeric organic semiconductors that find widespread application in organic electronic devices We report on the use of a new class of Co(III) complexes as p-type dopants for triarylamine-based hole conductors such as spiro-MeOTAD and their application in solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSCs) We show that the proposed compounds fulfill the requirements for this application and that the discussed strategy is promising for tuning the conductivity of spiro-MeOTAD in ssDSCs, without having to rely on the commonly employed photo-doping By using a recently developed high molar extinction coefficient organic D-π-A sensitizer and p-doped spiro-MeOTAD as hole conductor, we achieved a record power conversion efficiency of 72%, measured under standard solar conditions (AM15G, 100 mW cm–2) We expect these promising new dopants to find widespread applications in organic electronics in general and pho
701 citations
TL;DR: This Account highlights the advances the team has made toward realizing moderately and highly electron-deficient n-channel oligomers and polymers based on oligothiophene, arylenediimide, and (bis)indenofluorene skeletons and provides a road map for developing functional, complementary organic circuitry, which requires combining p- and n- channel transistors.
Abstract: Organic semiconductors have unique properties compared to traditional inorganic materials such as amorphous or crystalline silicon. Some important advantages include their adaptability to low-temperature processing on flexible substrates, low cost, amenability to high-speed fabrication, and tunable electronic properties. These features are essential for a variety of next-generation electronic products, including low-power flexible displays, inexpensive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and printable sensors, among many other applications. Accordingly, the preparation of new materials based on π-conjugated organic molecules or polymers has been a central scientific and technological research focus over the past decade. Currently, p-channel (hole-transporting) materials are the leading class of organic semiconductors. In contrast, high-performance n-channel (electron-transporting) semiconductors are relatively rare, but they are of great significance for the development of plastic electronic devic...
633 citations
TL;DR: This chapter considers the influences of electronic coupling between molecular units, disorder, polaronic effects and space charge, and the recent progress made in understanding charge transport on short time scales and short length scales.
Abstract: Modern optoelectronic devices, such as light-emitting diodes, field-effect transistors and organic solar cells require well controlled motion of charges for their efficient operation. The understanding of the processes that determine charge transport is therefore of paramount importance for designing materials with improved structure-property relationships. Before discussing different regimes of charge transport in organic semiconductors, we present a brief introduction into the conceptual framework in which we interpret the relevant photophysical processes. That is, we compare a molecular picture of electronic excitations against the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger semiconductor band model. After a brief description of experimental techniques needed to measure charge mobilities, we then elaborate on the parameters controlling charge transport in technologically relevant materials. Thus, we consider the influences of electronic coupling between molecular units, disorder, polaronic effects and space charge. A particular focus is given to the recent progress made in understanding charge transport on short time scales and short length scales. The mechanism for charge injection is briefly addressed towards the end of this chapter.
618 citations
TL;DR: The molecular organization inherent to the mesophase can control the polarization of light-emitting devices and the gain in organic, thin-film lasers and can also provide distributed feedback in chiral nematic mirrorless lasers.
Abstract: We present a critical review of semiconducting/light emitting, liquid crystalline materials and their use in electronic and photonic devices such as transistors, photovoltaics, OLEDs and lasers. We report that annealing from the mesophase improves the order and packing of organic semiconductors to produce state-of-the-art transistors. We discuss theoretical models which predict how charge transport and light emission is affected by the liquid crystalline phase. Organic photovoltaics and OLEDs require optimization of both charge transport and optical properties and we identify the various trade-offs involved for ordered materials. We report the crosslinking of reactive mesogens to give pixellated full-colour OLEDs and distributed bi-layer photovoltaics. We show how the molecular organization inherent to the mesophase can control the polarization of light-emitting devices and the gain in organic, thin-film lasers and can also provide distributed feedback in chiral nematic mirrorless lasers. We update progress on the surface alignment of liquid crystalline semiconductors to obtain monodomain devices without defects or devices with spatially varying properties. Finally the significance of all of these developments is assessed.
460 citations
TL;DR: ZnO has been widely used in organic solar cells and hybrid solar cells (HSCs) due to its salient characteristics such as low cost, easy synthesis, non-toxicity, high stability, and good optoelectronic properties as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: As an n-type inorganic semiconductor, ZnO has been widely used in organic solar cells (OSCs) and hybrid solar cells (HSCs) due to its salient characteristics such as low cost, easy synthesis, non-toxicity, high stability, and good optoelectronic properties. This article reviews the applications of ZnO in solar cells, including ZnO/organic HSCs, and OSCs with ZnO acting as electrode buffer layers or transparent electrodes. For ZnO/organic HSCs, ZnO serves as the electron acceptor material, while organic semiconductors act as electron donor materials. For the buffer layers or electrode applications, ZnO is used as an electron collection and hole blocking material where its structure plays an important role in the determination of the device performance (e.g., power conversion efficiency, lifetime, stability, etc.). Special emphasis goes to the device performance of OSCs and HSCs, which depends not only on the active materials and the device configurations, but also on the structural characteristics of the ZnO buffer layer. Finally, we briefly give an analysis on the opportunities and challenges for this promising semiconductor in OSCs and HSCs.
453 citations
TL;DR: Investigation of their field-effect performance indicated that IIDDT exhibited air-stable mobility up to 0.79 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), which is quite high among polymer FET materials.
Abstract: Two conjugated polymers, IIDDT and IIDT, based on an isoindigo core were developed for organic field-effect transisitors. Investigation of their field-effect performance indicated that IIDDT exhibited air-stable mobility up to 0.79 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), which is quite high among polymer FET materials. The facile preparation and high mobility of such polymers make isoindigo-based polymers very promising for application as solution-processable organic semiconductors for optoelectronic devices.
449 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a short review of properties stemming from halogenation of organic semiconductors is presented, where it has been known in the past decade that fluorination lowers the energy levels in carbon based systems, induces stability and electron transport.
Abstract: Organic semiconductors have great potential as the active material in low-cost, large area plastic electronics, whether as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), field-effect transistors (FETs) or solar cells. Organic semiconducting materials retain the processability associated with polymers while maintaining good optoelectronic properties, for example, high absorption coefficients for photons in the visible, and field-effect mobilities comparable with that of amorphous silicon. The elucidation of important structure−property relationships is vital for the design of functional, high-performance organic semiconductors. In this short review, we summarize such relationships stemming from the halogenation of organic semiconductors. While it has been known in the past decade that fluorination lowers the energy levels in carbon based systems, induces stability and electron transport, less is known about the effect of the other halogens. Chlorination has recently been shown to be a viable route to n-type materials. The ...
TL;DR: This work demonstrates an organic channel light-emitting transistor operating at low voltage, with low power dissipation, and high aperture ratio, in the three primary colors, comparable to that of polycrystalline-silicon backplane transistor-driven display pixels.
Abstract: Intrinsic nonuniformity in the polycrystalline-silicon backplane transistors of active matrix organic light-emitting diode displays severely limits display size. Organic semiconductors might provide an alternative, but their mobility remains too low to be useful in the conventional thin-film transistor design. Here we demonstrate an organic channel light-emitting transistor operating at low voltage, with low power dissipation, and high aperture ratio, in the three primary colors. The high level of performance is enabled by a single-wall carbon nanotube network source electrode that permits integration of the drive transistor and the light emitter into an efficient single stacked device. The performance demonstrated is comparable to that of polycrystalline-silicon backplane transistor-driven display pixels.
TL;DR: The purpose of the toolkit is to simplify the workflow for charge transport simulations, provide a uniform error control for the methods and a flexible platform for their development, and eventually allow in silico prescreening of organic semiconductors for specific applications.
Abstract: Charge carrier dynamics in an organic semiconductor can often be described in terms of charge hopping between localized states. The hopping rates depend on electronic coupling elements, reorganization energies, and driving forces, which vary as a function of position and orientation of the molecules. The exact evaluation of these contributions in a molecular assembly is computationally prohibitive. Various, often semiempirical, approximations are employed instead. In this work, we review some of these approaches and introduce a software toolkit which implements them. The purpose of the toolkit is to simplify the workflow for charge transport simulations, provide a uniform error control for the methods and a flexible platform for their development, and eventually allow in silico prescreening of organic semiconductors for specific applications. All implemented methods are illustrated by studying charge transport in amorphous films of tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum, a common organic semiconductor.
TL;DR: The aim of this review is not to give a summary of all recent results in organic and hybrid solar cells, but rather to focus on the fabrication, device physics, and light trapping properties of nanostructured Organic and hybrid devices.
Abstract: This Progress Report highlights recent developments in nanostructured organic and hybrid solar cells. The authors discuss novel approaches to control the film morphology in fully organic solar cells and the design of nanostructured hybrid solar cells. The motivation and recent results concerning fabrication and effects on device physics are emphasized. The aim of this review is not to give a summary of all recent results in organic and hybrid solar cells, but rather to focus on the fabrication, device physics, and light trapping properties of nanostructured organic and hybrid devices.
TL;DR: Among the many semiconducting materials evaluated in the TFT confi guration, pentacene is the best as it shows the highest fi eld-effect mobility ( > 3.0 cm 2 V − 1 s − 1 ).
Abstract: Organic thin-fi lm transistors (OTFTs) have attracted great interest for their potential use in several electronic applications, including active-matrix displays, electronic paper, and chemical sensors. [ 1 ] Among the many semiconducting materials evaluated in the TFT confi guration, pentacene is the best as it shows the highest fi eld-effect mobility ( > 3.0 cm 2 V − 1 s − 1 ). [ 2 , 3 ] On the other hand, new organic semiconductors are being actively investigated to further improve the performance of OTFTs. In fact, superior unconventional organic semiconductors used to produce high-performance OTFTs have been recently reported, including picene (3.2 cm 2 V − 1 s − 1 ), [ 4 ] trans -1,2-dithieno[2,3b ′ :3,2d ′ ]thiophene ethene (DTTE, 2.0 cm 2 V − 1 s − 1 ), [ 5 ] dithieno[2,3d ;2 ′ ,3 ′ d ′ ]benzo[1,2b ;4,5b ′ ]dithiophene (DTBDT, 1.7 cm 2 V − 1
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that polymer residues remaining on graphene surfaces induce a stand-up orientation ofpentacene, thereby controlling pentacene growth such that the molecular assembly is optimal for charge transport.
Abstract: Organic electronic devices that use graphene electrodes have received considerable attention because graphene is regarded as an ideal candidate electrode material. Transfer and lithographic processes during fabrication of patterned graphene electrodes typically leave polymer residues on the graphene surfaces. However, the impact of these residues on the organic semiconductor growth mechanism on graphene surface has not been reported yet. Here, we demonstrate that polymer residues remaining on graphene surfaces induce a stand-up orientation of pentacene, thereby controlling pentacene growth such that the molecular assembly is optimal for charge transport. Thus, pentacene field-effect transistors (FETs) using source/drain monolayer graphene electrodes with polymer residues show a high field-effect mobility of 1.2 cm2/V s. In contrast, epitaxial growth of pentacene having molecular assembly of lying-down structure is facilitated by π−π interaction between pentacene and the clean graphene electrode without po...
TL;DR: Organic solid-state lasers are broadly tunable coherent sources are potentially compact, convenient and manufactured at low-costs, with a special emphasis on works published during the last decade as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Organic solid-state lasers are reviewed, with a special emphasis on works published during the last decade. Referring originally to dyes in solid-state polymeric matrices, organic lasers also include the rich family of organic semiconductors, paced by the rapid development of organic light emitting diodes. Organic lasers are broadly tunable coherent sources are potentially compact, convenient and manufactured at low-costs. In this review, we describe the basic photophysics of the materials used as gain media in organic lasers with a specific look at the distinctive feature of dyes and semiconductors. We also outline the laser architectures used in state-of-the-art organic lasers and the performances of these devices with regard to output power, lifetime, and beam quality. A survey of the recent trends in the field is given, highlighting the latest developments in terms of wavelength coverage, wavelength agility, efficiency and compactness, or towards integrated low-cost sources, with a special focus on the great challenges remaining for achieving direct electrical pumping. Finally, we discuss the very recent demonstration of new kinds of organic lasers based on polaritons or surface plasmons, which open new and very promising routes in the field of organic nanophotonics.
TL;DR: This work fabricated bilayer organic photovoltaic devices with interfacial dipole moments that were selected to align the energy levels at the heterojunction using a simple film-transfer method.
Abstract: The energy-level alignment at the heterojunction critically influences the performance of organic photovoltaic devices. It is now shown that the surface dipole moments of individual organic semiconductor films can be tuned with surface-segregated monolayers before forming bilayer solar cells by a simple film-transfer method.
TL;DR: Both the bimolecular and trap-assisted recombination processes in organic semiconductors are governed by the charge carrier mobilities, allowing predictive modeling of organic light-emitting diodes.
Abstract: The trap-assisted recombination of electrons and holes in organic semiconductors is investigated. The extracted capture coefficients of the trap-assisted recombination process are thermally activated with an identical activation energy as measured for the hole mobility μp. We demonstrate that the rate limiting step for this mechanism is the diffusion of free holes towards trapped electrons in their mutual Coulomb field, with the capture coefficient given by (q/e)μp. As a result, both the bimolecular and trap-assisted recombination processes in organic semiconductors are governed by the charge carrier mobilities, allowing predictive modeling of organic light-emitting diodes. © 2011 American Physical Society.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show that S-kinks in the current voltage characteristics, which decrease the fill factor significantly, can be caused by a strong imbalance of charge carriermobilities (hole mobility in donor and electron mobility in acceptor) in planar/flat heterojunction organic solar cells.
Abstract: We show that S-kinks in the current voltage characteristics, which decrease the fill factor significantly, can be caused by a strong imbalance of charge carriermobilities(hole mobility in donor and electron mobility in acceptor) in planar/flat heterojunction organic solar cells. Electrical simulations according to a drift-diffusion model predict the occurrence of an S-kink for a mobility mismatch factor larger than 100. By combining a low-mobility donor material, (1,2,3,4,9,10,11,12-octaphenyl-diindeno[ 1 , 2 , 3 -cd : 1 ′ , 2 ′ , 3 ′ -lm]perylene), with the acceptors C 60 and N , N ′ -dimethylperylene-3,4:9,10-dicarboximide, which show different electron mobilities, we experimentally verify the predictions. Our results demonstrate that not only interfaceeffects but also the photoactive material itself can cause S-kinks.
TL;DR: To improve charge injection/extraction across the electrode/ organic semiconductor interface, several strategies have been developed, including modifying the electrode surface with self-assembled dipolar molecules to tune the energy level alignment at the semiconductor/electrode interface.
Abstract: Conjugated polymers are a novel class of solution-processable semiconducting materials with intriguing optoelectronic properties. [ 1 ] They have received great attention as active components in organic electronic devices such as organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and organic fi eld-effect transistors (OFETs) due to their light weight, facile tuning of electronic properties through molecular engineering, and ease of processing. The performance and lifetime of conjugated polymer-based electronic devices are critically dependent on the bulk properties of the active materials and the interfacial properties of electrode/polymer contacts. [ 2–4 ] In these devices, the electrode(s) either inject charge into or extract charges from the organic semiconductor layer(s). Mismatch of the work functions between metal or metal oxide electrodes and molecular orbital energy levels of organic semiconductors can lead to high contact resistance, which decreases the charge injection and extraction effi ciency. Therefore, it is essential to minimize contact resistance at the electrode/organic semiconductor interface. To improve charge injection/extraction across the electrode/ organic semiconductor interface, several strategies have been developed. One is to tune the interfacial dipole across the electrode/semiconductor interface to reduce the injection/collection energy barrier. This can be achieved by modifying the electrode surface with self-assembled dipolar molecules to tune the energy level alignment at the semiconductor/electrode interface. [ 5–7 ] Alternatively, the introduction of a thin layer of polymer surfactant that contains polar side chains between the conjugate polymer/electrode interface can also be used to improve the interfacial properties. The polar side chains can provide not
TL;DR: The role of entropy in charge separation processes with respect to the dimensionality of the organic semiconductor was discussed in this paper, where it was shown that at higher dimensions, it leads to a substantial decrease in the Coulomb barrier for charge separation.
Abstract: The role of entropy in charge separation processes is discussed with respect to the dimensionality of the organic semiconductor. In 1-D materials, the change in entropy, ΔS, plays no role, but at higher dimensions, it leads to a substantial decrease in the Coulomb barrier for charge separation. The effects of ΔS are highest in equilibrium systems but decrease and become time-dependent in illuminated organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Higher-dimensional semiconductors have inherent advantages for charge separation, and this may be one reason that C60 and its derivatives, the only truly three-dimensional organic semiconductors yet known, play such an important role in OPV cells.
TL;DR: In this paper, various classes of molecular structures that may be used as the basis for the synthesis of organic semiconductors that favor electron transport in field effect transistors and related electronic and optoelectronic devices are discussed.
Abstract: This review covers the various classes of molecular structures that may be used as the basis for the synthesis of organic semiconductors that favor electron transport in field-effect transistors and related electronic and optoelectronic devices. The types of compounds include tetracarboxylic diimides, heterocyclic oligomers, fullerenes, and metal complexes. Approaches to polymers are also mentioned. Although brief discussions of transistor operation and applications are included, the emphasis is on the rationale for choosing these structures, and synthetic routes to them. Performance of exemplary compounds in transistors is also discussed.
TL;DR: Organic solar cells comprised of tetracene, copper phthalocyanine, and the buckyball C(60) are reported, demonstrating that exciton fission can efficiently compete with exciton dissociation on the nanoscale.
Abstract: Singlet exciton fission is an efficient multiexciton generation process in organic molecules. But two concerns must be satisfied before it can be exploited in low-cost solution-processed organic solar cells. Fission must be combined with longer wavelength absorption in a structure that can potentially surpass the single junction limit, and its efficiency must be demonstrated in nanoscale domains within blended devices. Here, we report organic solar cells comprised of tetracene, copper phthalocyanine, and the buckyball C(60). Short wavelength light generates singlet excitons in tetracene. These are subsequently split into two triplet excitons and transported through the phthalocyanine. In addition, the phthalocyanine absorbs photons below the singlet exciton energy of tetracene. To test tetracene in nanostructured blends, we fabricate coevaporated bulk heterojunctions and multilayer heterojunctions of tetracene and C(60). We measure a singlet fission efficiency of (71 ± 18)%, demonstrating that exciton fission can efficiently compete with exciton dissociation on the nanoscale.
TL;DR: This study leads to both p- and n-channel organic thin-film transistors with high field-effect mobility and reveals that the position of the N atoms plays an important role in tuning the structures and properties of organic semiconductors based on N-heteropentacenes.
Abstract: An exploratory study on novel silylethynylated N-heteropentacenes, which have their N atoms on the terminal rings of the pentacene backbone, is reported. This study leads to both p- and n-channel organic thin-film transistors with high field-effect mobility and also reveals that the position of the N atoms plays an important role in tuning the structures and properties of organic semiconductors based on N-heteropentacenes.
TL;DR: Computational, spectroscopic, and synthetic methods were combined to develop a structure-property relationship that correlates polymer substituents with charge-transfer state energies and, ultimately, device efficiencies.
Abstract: The performance of organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices is currently limited by modest short-circuit current densities. Approaches toward improving this output parameter may provide new avenues to advance OPV technologies and the basic science of charge transfer in organic semiconductors. This work highlights how steric control of the charge separation interface can be effectively tuned in OPV devices. By introducing an octylphenyl substituent onto the investigated polymer backbones, the thermally relaxed charge-transfer state, and potentially excited charge-transfer states, can be raised in energy. This decreases the barrier to charge separation and results in increased photocurrent generation. This finding is of particular significance for nonfullerene OPVs, which have many potential advantages such as tunable energy levels and spectral breadth, but are prone to poor exciton separation efficiencies. Computational, spectroscopic, and synthetic methods were combined to develop a structure–property relations...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review recent progress in the understanding of electrostatic phenomena, which originate in the collective action of the anisotropic charge distribution in typical conjugated molecules.
Abstract: Progress in the field of organic electronics depends on the synthesis of new π-conjugated molecules to further improve the performance of, for example, organic light-emitting diodes, organic photovoltaic cells, and organic field-effect transistors. However, the interrelation between the properties of isolated molecules on one hand and close-packed thin films on the other hand is far from trivial. Here, we review recent progress in the understanding of electrostatic phenomena, which originate in the collective action of the anisotropic charge distribution in typical conjugated molecules. Both the π-electron systems and polar end-group substitutions exposed at the surface of a molecular or polymeric film are seen to form dipole layers, which critically impact the device-relevant ionization energy and electron affinity of that film. After briefly revisiting electrostatic fundamentals and critically assessing related experimental methods, the energies of the frontier electronic states in organic thin films ar...
TL;DR: It is reported that linear oligomers of furan could be used as organic semiconductors and show field effect mobilities similar to those of the corresponding thiophene analogues.
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that the Second Law of Thermodynamics limits the maximum efficiency of excitonic solar cells below the maximum of 31% established by Shockley and Queisser [J. Appl. Phys. 32, 510 (1961)].
Abstract: Excitonic solar cells, comprised of materials such as organic semiconductors, inorganic colloidal quantum dots, and carbon nanotubes, are fundamentally different than crystalline, inorganic solar cells in that photogeneration of free charge occurs through intermediate, bound exciton states. Here, we show that the Second Law of Thermodynamics limits the maximum efficiency of excitonic solar cells below the maximum of 31% established by Shockley and Queisser [J. Appl. Phys. 32, 510 (1961)] for inorganic solar cells (whose exciton-binding energy is small). In the case of ideal heterojunction excitonic cells, the free energy for charge transfer at the interface, \ensuremath{\Delta}$G$, places an additional constraint on the limiting efficiency due to a fundamental increase in the recombination rate, with typical \ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}$G$ in the range 0.3 to 0.5 eV decreasing the maximum efficiency to 27% and 22%, respectively.
TL;DR: The stability of OFETs has been primarily evaluated in devices with a bottom-gate geometry, and the use of an amorphous fl uoropolymer, CYTOP, has caused current approaches to improve the stability to focus on mitigating individual processes.
Abstract: Over the past several years, great progress has been made in the development of organic fi eld-effect transistors (OFETs). Prototypes of electronic devices such as drivers for fl at-panel displays, [ 1 ] complementary circuits, [ 2 , 3 ] radio-frequency identifi cation tags, [ 4 ] and chemical or biological sensors [ 5 , 6 ] have already been demonstrated. While charge-carrier mobility values have improved [ 2 , 3 , 7–9 ] with comparable values for both n and p -channel transistors, long-term environmental and operational stability remain two major issues that need to be resolved before OFETs can realize their full commercial potential. Recently, much effort has been devoted to improve the stability of OFETs. [ 10–18 ] For instance, to improve the environmental stability of OFETs, air-stable organic semiconductors have been synthesized [ 10 , 11 ] or encapsulation layers have been developed. [ 12 , 13 ] On the other hand, achieving operational stability is still a major challenge faced by OFETs as well as other fi eld-effect transistor (FET) technologies, such as those based on a -Si:H, poly-Si, and metal-oxide semiconductors. The operational stability of a FET is in general related to dipolar orientation and charge trapping/de-trapping events at all its critical interfaces and in the bulk of the semiconductor and gate dielectric. [ 14–18 ] The degradation of the performance of a FET during operation is refl ected by changes of its current-voltage characteristics that result from changes of mobility ( μ ), of threshold voltage ( V th ), or variations of the capacitance density ( C in ) of the gate dielectric. The dynamics of the physical and/or chemical mechanisms producing these changes, intrinsic or extrinsic, affect the performance of a FET on different time scales. [ 14 ] The stability of a FET is determined by the total effects produced by several physical and/or chemical processes, but in general, one tends to dominate over the others. This has caused current approaches to improve the stability to focus on mitigating individual processes. [ 15–18 ] Furthermore, the stability of OFETs has been primarily evaluated in devices with a bottom-gate geometry. OFETs with a top-gate geometry are relatively rare because the choice of gate dielectric material is limited since its deposition can potentially damage the organic semiconductor layer underneath. The use of an amorphous fl uoropolymer, CYTOP,