Cross-Linked Polymer Gate Dielectric Films for Low-Voltage Organic Transistors

Abstract

Cross-linked polymer films were investigated as new gate dielectric materials for low-voltage thin-film transistors. Poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) was cross-linked through esterification reactions with commercially available bifunctional anhydrides, acyl chlorides, and carboxylic acids. The polymer dielectric films were evaluated based on surface morphology, capacitance, leakage current, and their compatibility with organic semiconductors. Thin insulating PVP films cross-linked with dianhydrides yielded a capacitance as high as 400 nF/cm² with leakage currents below 10⁻⁸ A/cm². Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) fabricated on these gate dielectric layers exhibited charge carrier mobilities as high as 3 cm²/(V s) for p-channel pentacene on octadecyltriethoxylsilane (OTS)-modified PVP and 0.045 cm²/(V s) for n-channel perfluorinated copper phthalocyanine (FCuPc).