Amphiphilic semiconducting copolymer as compatibility layer for printing polyelectrolyte-gated OFETs

Abstract

We report a method for inkjet-printing an organic semiconductor layer on top of the electrolyte insulator layer in polyelectrolyte-gated OFETs by using a surface modification treatment to overcome the underlying wettability problem at this interface. The method includes depositing an amphiphilic diblock copolymer (P3HT-b-PDMAEMA). This material is designed to have one set of blocks that mimics the hydrophobic properties of the semiconductor (poly(3-hexylthiophene) or P3HT), while the other set of blocks include polar components that improve adhesion to the polyelectrolyte insulator. Contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirm formation of the desired surface modification film. Successful inkjet printing of a smooth semiconductor layer allows us to manufacture complete transistor structures that exhibit lowvoltage operation in the range of 1 V.

Electrolytic Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistors for Application in Biosensors—A Review

“…Inkjet printing is an additive technology and is therefore much less wasteful than other solution-based methods using subtractive patterning methods; it generally ensures a better electrical contact with the underlying electrode/material than the vacuum thermal evaporation [57] but it has the disadvantages of poor lateral resolution compared to lithography [31,[58][59][60].…”

“…Magliulo et al modified the surface of P3HT by plasma-enhanced vapor chemical deposition (PE-CVD) of a mixture of ethylene, acrylic acid and argon in a 1:3:1 ratio, which increased the -COOH content at the surface, eventually used to covalently graft phospholipids on the OSC, themselves used to bind biological molecules [64,71,90]. Kergoat et al [91], Sinno et al [59] and Toss et al [92] used chemical reactions to bind P3HT with another polymer to make new semiconductor polymer blends with improved stability, electronic performances and biocompatibility. Suspène et al used peptidic coupling to directly graft biotin on P3HT in order to make a proof-of-concept streptavidin or avidin sensor [93].…”

Effective Use of Electrically Insulating Units in Organic Semiconductor Thin Films for High‐Performance Organic Transistors

“…[138] P3HT-b-P(MMA-r-HEMA:SBA), an amphiphilic copolymer consisting of a P3HT block and a hydrophilic block of randomly alternating repeat units of methyl methacrylate and sulfonated hydroxyethyl methacrylate, has also been used for the same purpose, and hence facilitate the fabrication of solution-processed OFET devices. One of the main challenges in this field relates to the wettability difference among semiconductors, insulators, and electrodes, which makes it difficult to print each material at high resolution and at a particular place.…”

A study of nano structure by roll to roll imprint lithography

“…Organic transistors were stilled in development process stage and their performance cannot be competed with traditional semi-conductor transistors. The wettability and incompatibilities has to be overcome where a smooth and homogeneous interface is crucial for the OFET performance [10]. Figure 11.…”

“…Figure 11. OFET design structure [10] In aspect of biomedical application, cell culturing could be printed in low cost with higher throughput. This printing method could avoid the use of batteries and wires connection which decreased the overall size of the biomedical device.…”