Introducing a nonvolatile N-type dopant drastically improves electron transport in polymer and small-molecule organic transistors
File(s)Panidi et al. AFM-2019.pdf (1.8 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
KGaA, Weinheim Molecular doping is a powerful yet challenging technique for enhancing charge transport in organic semiconductors (OSCs). While there is a wealth of research on p-type dopants, work on their n-type counterparts is comparatively limited. Here, reported is the previously unexplored n-dopant (12a,18a)-5,6,12,12a,13,18,18a,19-octahydro-5,6-dimethyl- 13,18[1′,2′]-benzenobisbenzimidazo [1,2-b:2′,1′-d]benzo[i][2.5]benzodiazo-cine potassium triflate adduct (DMBI-BDZC) and its application in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). Two different high electron mobility OSCs, namely, the polymer poly[[N,N′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-naphthalene-1,4,5,8- bis(dicarboximide)-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5′-(2′-bithiophene)] and a small-molecule naphthalene diimides fused with 2-(1,3-dithiol-2-ylidene)malononitrile groups (NDI-DTYM2) are used to study the effectiveness of DMBI-BDZC as a n-dopant. N-doping of both semiconductors results in OTFTs with improved electron mobility (up to 1.1 cm2 V−1 s−1), reduced threshold voltage and lower contact resistance. The impact of DMBI-BDZC incorporation is particularly evident in the temperature dependence of the electron transport, where a significant reduction in the activation energy due to trap deactivation is observed. Electron paramagnetic resonance measurements support the n-doping activity of DMBI-BDZC in both semiconductors. This finding is corroborated by density functional theory calculations, which highlights ground-state electron transfer as the main doping mechanism. The work highlights DMBI-BDZC as a promising n-type molecular dopant for OSCs and its application in OTFTs, solar cells, photodetectors, and thermoelectrics.
Date Issued
2019-08-22
Date Acceptance
2019-06-01
Citation
Advanced Functional Materials, 2019, 29 (34), pp.1-10
ISSN
1616-301X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1
End Page
10
Journal / Book Title
Advanced Functional Materials
Volume
29
Issue
34
Copyright Statement
© 2019 Owner. This is the accepted version of the following article: Panidi, J., Kainth, J., Paterson, A. F., Wang, S., Tsetseris, L., Emwas, A.‐H., McLachlan, M. A., Heeney, M., Anthopoulos, T. D., Introducing a Nonvolatile N‐Type Dopant Drastically Improves Electron Transport in Polymer and Small‐Molecule Organic Transistors. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019, 1902784. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201902784, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201902784.
Sponsor
EPSRC
The Royal Society
Identifier
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adfm.201902784
Grant Number
EP/L016702/1
RSWF\R1\180001
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Technology
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry, Physical
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Applied
Physics, Condensed Matter
Chemistry
Science & Technology - Other Topics
Materials Science
Physics
electron transport
molecular doping
n-type dopant
organic semiconductors
organic transistor
THIN-FILM TRANSISTORS
FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS
PEROVSKITE SOLAR-CELLS
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
CHARGE-TRANSPORT
HIGH-MOBILITY
SEMICONDUCTORS
EFFICIENCY
COPOLYMER
ABSORPTION
Materials
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
02 Physical Sciences
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
1902784
Date Publish Online
2019-06-18