Medium band gap polymer based solution-processed high-kappa composite gate dielectrics for ambipolar OFET

The authors present a novel ambipolar organic filed-effect transistors (OFETs) composed of a hybrid dielectric thin film of Ta2O5: PMMA nanocomposite material, and solution processed poly(selenophene, benzotriazole and dialkoxy substituted [1,2-b: 4, 5-b'] dithiophene (P-SBTBDT)-based organic semiconducting material as the active layer of the device. We find that the Ta2O5: PMMA insulator shows n-type conduction character, and its combination with the p-type P-SBTBDT organic semiconductor leads to an ambipolar OFET device. Top-gated OFETs were fabricated on glass substrate consisting of interdigitated ITO electrodes. P-SBTBDT-based material was spin coated on the interdigitated ITO electrodes. Subsequently, a solution processed Ta2O5: PMMA nanocomposite material was spin coated, thereby creating the gate dielectric layer. Finally, as a gate metal, an aluminum layer was deposited by thermal evaporation. The fabricated OFETs exhibited an ambipolar performance with good air-stability, high field-induced current and relatively high electron and hole mobilities although Ta2O5: PMMA nanocomposite films have slightly higher leakage current compared to the pure Ta2O5 films. Dielectric properties of the devices with different ratios of Ta2O5: PMMA were also investigated. The dielectric constant varied between 3.6 and 5.3 at 100 Hz, depending on the Ta2O5: PMMA ratio.