Extensive Properties Investigation of AgNWs‐PEDOT:PSS Based Transparent Conductive Electrode for Ultraflexible Organic Photodetector Applications

Abstract

In this work, the optoelectrical, mechanical, and material properties of silver nanowires/poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (AgNWs‐PEDOT:PSS) hybrid electrode, solution processed on 5 µm parylene‐C substrate for ultraflexible organic photodetector (OPD) applications, are investigated. The fabricated transparent conductive hybrid electrode exhibits low sheet resistance (Rs) of 27 Ω Sq.−1 and shows an average optical transmission of 90% in the visible spectrum. Besides the comparable work function (WF) of 5 eV when compared with the standard indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode, the surface root mean square (RMS) roughness of the hybrid electrode is effectively reduced from 8 nm to 4 nm by spin coating a planarization layer of PEDOT:PSS. With a stable value in the relative change in resistance over continuous 50 k bending cycles at a curvature radius of 0.1 mm, the hybrid electrode exhibits excellent mechanical characteristics. Finally, using this hybrid electrode it is shown that an ultraflexible OPD fabricated in ambient atmospheric conditions demonstrates current density to voltage (J–V) characteristics comparable with standard ITO‐based OPD. Further, the ultraflexible OPD can withstand more than 5 k continuous bending cycles with similar J–V characteristics before and after bending.

Conductive PEDOT-Dominant Surface of Transparent Electrode Patch via Selective Phase Transfer for Efficient Flexible Photoelectronic Devices

“…As shown in Figure e, the OPD in the spin-coated PEDOT:PSS electrode condition confirmed that J d was greatly increased from 1.62 × 10 –9 A cm –2 (before bending) to 1.33 × 10 –8 A cm –2 after 500 bending cycles, and increased to 6.70 × 10 –8 A cm –2 after 1000 bending cycles at 0 V, while the OPD in the transferred PEDOT:PSS condition was significantly improved (from 1.53 × 10 –9 A cm –2 before bending to 4.20 × 10 –9 A cm –2 after 500 bending cycles at a 0 V bias before bending and 9.44 × 10 –9 A cm –2 after 1000 bending cycles). This is because the sharper interface formed by the transferred PEDOT:PSS patch with the upper layer yielded increased mechanical robustness. , (Figure f).…”

“…This is because the sharper interface formed by the transferred PEDOT:PSS patch with the upper layer yielded increased mechanical robustness. 83,84 (Figure 6f). Based on this, the responsivity and detectivity of the spincoated PEDOT:PSS electrode-and transferred PEDOT:PSS patch-based device can be calculated (as a function of the bending cycle) using the following equations,…”