Poly(oligothiophene-alt-benzothiadiazole)s: Tuning the Structures of Oligothlophene Units toward High-Mobility "Black" Conjugated Polymers

A series of donor-acceptor low-bandgap conjugated polymers, i.e., PTnBT (n = 2-6), composed of alternating oligothiophene (OTh) and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BT) units were synthesized by Stille cross-coupling polymerization. The number of thiophene rings in OTh units, that is n, was tuned from 2 to 6. All these polymers display two absorption bands in both solutions and films with absorption maxima depending on n. From solution to film, absorption spectra of the polymers exhibit a noticeable red shift. Both high- and low-energy absorption bands or P'F5BT and PT6BT films locate in the visible region, which are at 468 and 662 nm for PT5BT and 494 and 657 nm for PT6BT.

High mobility vanadyl-phthalocyanine polycrystalline films for organic field-effect transistors

The organic films of vanadyl-phthalocyanine (VOPc) compounds showed weak epitaxy growth (WEG) behavior on thin ordered para-sexiphenyl (p-6P) layer with high substrate temperature. The WEG of VOPc molecules standing up on the p-6P layer leaded to high in-plane orientation and their layer-by-layer growth behavior. In consequence, high quality VOPc films were obtained, which were consisted of lamellar crystals. Organic field-effect transistors with VOPc/p-6P films as active layers realized high mobility of above 1 cm(2)/V s. This result indicated that nonplanar compounds can obtain a device performance better than planar compounds, therefore, it may provide a rule to find disklike organic semiconductor materials.

Weak epitaxy growth affording high-mobility thin films of disk-like organic semiconductors

Thin films of phthalocyanine compounds show weak epitaxial growth on a monodomain film of a rod-like molecule (see figure). The resulting organic electronic devices exhibit high charge carrier mobilities close to those of the single-crystal devices.

Thickness dependence of mobility in CuPc thin film on amorphous SiO2 substrate

Hole mobility in a copper-phthalocyanine (CuPc)-based top-contact transistor has been studied with various organic layer thicknesses. It is found that the transistor performance depends on the thickness of the CuPc layer, and the mobility increases with the increase in the CuPc layer and saturated at the thickness of 6 ML. The upper layers do not actively contribute to the carrier transport in the organic films. The morphology of the organic layer grown on the bare SiO2/Si substrate is also presented. The analysis of spatial correlations shows that the CuPc films grow on the SiO2 according to the mixed-layer mode.

High-mobility pentacene thin-film transistors with copolymer-gate dielectric

Pentacene thin-film transistors have been obtained using polymethyl-methacrylate-co-glyciclyl-methacrylate (PNIMA-GMA) as the gate dielectric. The optimum active layer thickness in thin-film transistors (OTFTs) was investigated. The present devices show a wide operation voltage range. The on/off current ratio is as high as 10(5). In linear region (V-DS = -2V), the field-effect mobility of device increases with the increase in gate field at low-voltage region (V-G < - 20 V), and a mobility of 0.33 cm(2)/Vs can be obtained when V-G > 20 V. In saturation region, the mobility increases linearly with the gate field, and a high mobility of 1.14 cm(2)/Vs can be obtained at V-G = -95V. The influence of voltage on mobility of device was investigated.

Naphthyl end-capped quarterthiophene: A simple organic semiconductor with high mobility and air stability

An organic semiconductor that can be mass produced is synthesized by end-capping quaterthiophene with naphthyl units (NaT4). An organic thin-film transistor (OTFT, see figure) has been fabricated using this organic semiconductor, and exhibits stability under ambient conditions with a mobility of up to 0.40 cm(2) V-1 s(-1).

Ambipolar organic field-effect transistors with air stability, high mobility, and balanced transport

Ambipolar organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on the organic heterojunction of copper-hexadecafluoro-phthalocyanine (F16CuPc) and 2,5-bis(4-biphenylyl) bithiophene (BP2T) were fabricated. The ambipolar OFETs eliminated the injection barrier for the electrons and holes though symmetrical Au source and drain electrodes were used, and exhibited air stability and balanced ambipolar transport behavior. High field-effect mobilities of 0.04 cm(2)/V s for the holes and 0.036 cm(2)/V s for the electrons were obtained. The capacitance-voltage characteristic of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) diode confirmed that electrons and holes are transported at F16CuPc and BP2T layers, respectively. On this ground, complementary MOS-like inverters comprising two identical ambipolar OFETs were constructed.

A dinuclear aluminum 8-hydroxyquinoline complex with high electron mobility for organic light-emitting diodes

A dinuclear aluminum 8-hydroxyquinoline complex (DAlq(3)) with improved electron mobility was designed for organic light-emitting diodes. The electron mobility in DAlq(3) was determined via transient electroluminescence (EL) from bilayer devices with structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/N,N-'-di(naphthalene-1-yl)-N,N-'-diphenyl-benzidine (NPB)/DAlq(3)/Mg:Ag. It was found that the electron mobility in DAlq(3) is between 3.7-8.4x10(-6) cm(2)/Vs at electric fields ranging between 1.2x10(6) and 4.0x10(6) V/cm, which is a factor of two higher than that in Alq(3). The DAlq(3) also shows a higher EL efficiency of 2.2 cd/A (1.2 Lm/W), as compared to Alq(3) with an EL efficiency of 2.0 cd/A (1.0 Lm/W), which is attributed to more balanced electron and hole recombination due to the improved electron mobility of DAlq(3).

Charge carrier mobility and electroluminescence in a green-emitting alternating block copolymer with a methoxy Bi-substituted chromophore

We determine the mobility of positive and negative charge carriers in a soluble green-emitting alternating block copolymer with, a methoxy bi-subsbituted conjugated segment. The negative charge carrier mobility of 6 x 10(-11) cm(2)/V.s is directly determined using space-charge-limited current analytical expressions. Positive charge carrier transport is also space-charge-limited, with a mobility of I x 10(-8) cm(2)/V.s. The electron trap distribution is exponential, with a characteristic energy of similar to 0.12 eV. A hole trap with energy similar to 0.4 eV was observed. This copolymer is used as emissive material in organic light-emitting diodes that present brightness of similar to 900 cd/m(2) at 12.5 V.

The effect of chain flexibility and chain mobility on radiation crosslinking of polymers

Radiation crosslinking of polymers mainly depends on the structure of polymer chain. The flexibility and mobility of chain directly influence the possibility of the reactive radicals recombination. Flexible chain is easier to crosslink than rigid-chain polymer. The latter must be crosslinked at high temperature, as most polymers can only crosslink above their melting point. Structural effect also influences the mechanism of radiation crosslinking of polymers. We find from the results in literature and in our laboratory that, the flexibility chain polymer mainly crosslinked with H type, but the rigid chain polymer mainly crosslinked with Y type. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Study of the conductivity and side chain mobility of a comb-like polymer electrolyte using the dynamic mechanical method

Using poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) as a backbone and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether (PEGME) with different molecular weights as side chains, three comb-like polymers and their Li salt complexes were synthesized. The dynamic mechanical properties and conductivities were investigated. Results showed that the polymer electrolytes possess two glass transitions: alpha -transition and beta -transition, and the temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity shows WLF (Williams-Landel-Ferry) behavior. Based on the time-temperature equivalence principle, a master curve was constructed by selecting T-beta as reference temperature. The values of the WLF parameters (C-1 and C-2) were obtained and were found to be almost independent of the length of the PEGME side chain and the content of Li salt. By reference to T-0 = 50 degreesC. the relation between log tau (c) and c was found to be linear. The master curves are displaced progressively to higher frequencies as the molecular weight of the side chain is increased. The relation between log tau (n) and the molecular weight of the side chain is also linear. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of electron mobility in a blue-emitting alternating block copolymer by space-charge-limited current measurements

In this communication we analyse current versus voltage data obtained using one carrier injection at metal/polymer/metal structures, The used polymer is a soluble blue-emitting alternating block copolymer, Our experimental results demonstrate that the electron current is limited by a large amount of traps with exponential energy distribution in the copolymer. The electron ;mobility of 5.1 x 10(-10) cm(2)/V s is directly determined by space-charge-limited current measurements. The electron mobility is at least three orders of magnitude smaller than that for holes in the copolymer. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE EFFECT OF MOBILITY OF MOLECULES ON RADIATION-INDUCED CHAIN SCISSION AND RACEMIZATION OF ISO-POLY(METHYL METHACRYLATE)

The radiation-induced chain-scission and racemization of isotactic poly(methylmethacrylate)(iso-PMMA) in amorphous and semi-crystalline state as well as in solution have been studied with nuclear magnetic resonance and molar mass deter-mination. It is shown that the chain-scission is dominant for iso-PMMA in dilute solution while the racemization reaction is not favorable in this case. On the contrary, the racemization is favorable when iso-PMMA was irradiated in its crystalline state while chain-scission is not. Such experimental results could be well explained by the mobility of molecules and "cage effect". The hypothesis, we proposed previously that the chain-scission, racemization and recombination are in competition and the final result depends on the state of molecular motion at which iso-PMMA was irradiated, has been verified verified once again.

Distribution and mobility of metals in agricultural soils near a copper smelter in South China

The distribution and mobility of heavy metals in the paddy soils surrounding a copper smelting plant in south China was investigated. We assessed the degree of metal contamination using an index of geoaccumulation. The metals were divided into two groups: (1) Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd, whose concentrations were heavily affected by anthropogenic inputs, and (2) Ni, Co and Cr, which were mainly of geochemical origin. Concentrations of Cu, Cd, Zn, and Pb in the polluted soils were higher than the Chinese soil quality criteria. The chemical partitioning patterns of Pb, Zn and Cu indicated that Pb was largely associated with the residual and NH2OH HCl extractable fractions. In contrast, Cd was predominantly associated with the MgCl2 extractable fraction. A large proportion of Cu was bound to the acidic H2O2 extractable fractions, while Zn was predominantly found in the residual phase. The fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful to the environment, was found to be elevated compared to unpolluted soils in which heavy metals are more strongly bound to the matrix. The mobility of the metals was studied by water extraction using a modification of Tessier's procedure, and the order of mobility was Zn > Cd > Cu > Ce > Pb.