Improving the mobility of CuPc OFETs by varying the preparation conditions

Abstract

In this work, three different preparation conditions were used for testing the performance of p-conducting copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The charge carrier mobility (μ _sat=(1.5±0.6)×10⁻³ cm²/V s) of the CuPc OFETs with the CuPc film deposited while keeping the substrate at room temperature could be improved when the gate dielectric was modified by a self-assembled monolayer of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane (μ _sat=(3.8±0.4)×10⁻³ cm²/V s) or when elevated temperatures were applied to the substrate (T _S,av=127 ^∘C) during the deposition of the organic film (μ _sat=(6.5±0.8)×10⁻³ cm²/V s). For the latter case, the dependence of the mobility and threshold voltage with increasing thickness of the organic film was tested—above 13 nm film thickness, no further significant increase of the hole mobility or change in the threshold voltage could be observed. The environmental stability of the OFETs was checked by performing ex situ measurements immediately as the sample was exposed to atmosphere and after 40 days of exposure. The effect of the different preparation conditions on the morphology of the organic films prepared in this work is also discussed in this context.