Electric-field-induced charge injection or exhaustion in organic thin film transistor

The conductivity of organic semiconductors is measured in situ and continuously with a bottom contact configuration, as a function of film thickness at various gate voltages. The depletion layer thickness can be directly determined as a shift of the threshold thickness at which electric current began to flow. The in situ and continuous measurement can also determine qualitatively the accumulation layer thickness together with the distribution function of injected carriers. The accumulation layer thickness is a few monolayers and it does not depend on gate voltages. Rather it depends on the chemical species.

Figure 1

Schematic sample layout. The source $\left(S\right)$ drain $\left(D\right)$ current was measured in situ at various gate voltages.

Figure 2

Source-drain current $\left(I_{SD}\right)$ of pentacene and $6T$ measured as a function of film thickness at various gate voltages $\left(V_G\right)$. Source-drain voltage was kept at $1\mathrm{V}$. The dotted line is guideline to obtain the threshold thickness.

Figure 3

(a) Carrier density $\left[n\left(x\right)\right]$ of pentacene as a function of the distance $\left(x\right)$ from the interface at various gate voltages $\left(V_G\right)$; $V_G=-30\mathrm{V}$ (down triangle), $-15\mathrm{V}$ (up triangle), $0\mathrm{V}$ (circle). (b) The difference $\left[n_i\left(x\right)\right]$ between charge carrier density at $V_G=-15\mathrm{V}$ or $-30\mathrm{V}$ and that at $V_G=0\mathrm{V}$.

Figure 4

(a) Carrier density $\left[n\left(x\right)\right]$ of $6T$ as a function of the distance $\left(x\right)$ from the interface at various gate voltages $\left(V_G\right)$; $V_G=-30\mathrm{V}$ (down triangle), $-15\mathrm{V}$ (up triangle), $0\mathrm{V}$ (circle). (b) The difference $\left[n_i\left(x\right)\right]$ between charge carrier density at $V_G=-15\mathrm{V}$ or $-30\mathrm{V}$ and that at $V_G=0\mathrm{V}$.