Al2O3/TiO2 nanolaminate gate dielectric films with enhanced electrical performances for organic field-effect transistors

• Al2O3–TiO2 nanolaminate gate dielectrics (AT) with Al–O–Ti bond was made by PEALD.
• AT revealed higher dielectric constant than Al2O3 due to their high polarizability.
• Leakage current of AT was low compared to Al2O3 and TiO2.
• The highest mobility and on/off ratio were achieved at low voltages in AT device.

Nanolamination has entered the spotlight as a novel process for fabricating highly dense nanoscale inorganic alloy films. OFET commercialization requires, above all, excellent dielectric properties of gate dielectric layer. Here, we describe the fabrication and characterization of Al–O–Ti (AT) nanolaminate gate dielectric films using a PEALD process, and their OFET applications. The AT films exhibited a very smooth surface (Rq < 0.3 nm), a high dielectric constant (17.8), and a low leakage current (8.6 × 10−9 A/cm2 at 2 MV/cm) compared to single Al2O3 or TiO2 films. Importantly, a 50 nm thick AT film dramatically enhanced the value of μFET (0.96 cm2/V) on a pentacene device, and the high off-current level in a single TiO2 film was effectively reduced. The nanolamination process removes the drawbacks inherent in each single layer so that the AT film provides excellent dielectric properties suitable for fabricating high-performance OFETs. Triethylsilylethynyl anthradithiophene (TES-ADT), a solution-processable semiconductor, was combined with the AT film in an OFET, and the electrical properties of the device were characterized. The excellent dielectric properties of the AT film render nanolamination a powerful strategy for practical OFET applications.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide