Novel molecular engineering and processing approaches for high-performance organic transistor devices: the role of polymer structure and morphology

在过去的几年里，用于电子应用的有机半导体的研究和开发显示出了强劲的增长。溶液可加工性和低成本等多种特性使这些材料在柔性基板上的电子显示器、有机场效应晶体管(OFET)和大面积光伏等应用中特别有吸引力。然而，有机半导体中的载流子迁移率比其无机同系物低得多。现在有证据表明，这些体系中的载流子迁移率取决于分子结构和组织。智力优势：我们的目标是更好地了解聚合物电子设备中结构有序对载流子迁移率的影响。我们建议使用新的合成和加工技术来优化基于聚合物的OFET的性能，这些技术将实现无定形和高度结晶的聚合物形态。我们的方法将包括材料、结构变化和设备结构与设备性能的相关性。虽然器件的应用将集中在OFET上，但结论将涉及广泛的导电聚合物技术。广泛的影响：该项目的目标是培训两名研究生和三名本科生，研究基于聚合物的电子器件的突破性技术所需的结构-性能-性能关系领域。学生们将有机会与博世创互动，后者是当地的一家公司，也是有机发光二极管和光伏商业化的技术领先者。研究人员还将与匹兹堡公立学校的教师(约60%的少数族裔学生)合作，开展导电聚合物实验项目。

Research and development of organic semiconductors for electronic applications have shown intense growth in the last few years. Versatile attributes, such as solution processability and low cost, render these materials particularly attractive for applications such as electronic displays on flexible substrates, organic field effect transistors (OFETs) and large-area photovoltaics. However, carrier mobilities in organic semiconductors are much lower than their inorganic homologues. Evidence now indicates that carrier mobility in these systems depends on molecular structure and organization. Intellectual merit: Our objective is to achieve better understanding of structural ordering effects on carrier mobility in polymer-based electronic devices. We propose to focus on optimizing the performance of OFETs based on polymers using novel synthesis and processing techniques that will achieve both amorphous and highly crystalline polymer morphologies. Our approach will include correlations of materials structural changes and device architecture with device performance. While the device applications will be focused on OFETs, the conclusions will pertain to a wide range of conducting polymer technologies.Broader impacts: It is the aim in this project to train two graduate students and three undergraduate researchers in the area of structure-property-performance relationships needed for breakthrough technologies in electronic polymer-based devices. The students will have opportunities to interact with Plextronics, a local company and a technology leader in commercialization of organic light-emitting diodes and photovoltaics. The investigators will also collaborate with teachers in the Pittsburgh Public Schools (~60% minority students) on projects to experiment with conducting polymers.