Improving solution-processed n-type organic field-effect transistors by transfer-printed metal/semiconductor and semiconductor/semiconductor heterojunctions

•Highly improve the n-type OFETs by transfer-printed Au electrodes.•Use Au electrode to obtain mobility similar to that using Ca and Al electrodes.•Transfer-printed p–n heterojunction by solution process for ambipolar OFETs.•Balanced hole–electron transport in coplanar, symmetric structure.

Solution-processed n-type organic field effect transistors (OFETs) are in need of proper metal contact for improving injection and mobility, as well as balanced hole mobility for building logic circuit units. We address the two distinct problems by a simple technique of transfer-printing. Transfer-printed Au contacts on a terrylene-based semiconductor (TDI) significantly reduced the inverse subthreshold slope by 5.6 V/dec and enhanced the linear mobility by over 5 times compared to evaporated Au contacts. Hence, devices with a high-work-function metal (Au) are comparable with those with low-work-function metals (Al and Ca), indicating a fundamental advantage of transfer-printed electrodes in electron injection. We also transfer-printed a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) layer onto TDI to construct a double-channel ambipolar transistor by a solution process for the first time. The transistor exhibits balanced hole and electron mobility (3.0 × 10−3 and 2.8 × 10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1) even in a coplanar structure with symmetric Au electrodes. The technique is especially useful for reaching intrinsic mobility of new materials, and enables significant enlargement of the material tanks for solution-processed functional heterojunction OFETs.

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