Experimental Techniques for the Fabrication and Characterization of Organic Thin Films for Field-Effect Transistors

Some of the experimental techniques for the fabrication and characterization of organic thin films for field-effect transistors (OTFT) are discussed. The unique properties of these organic materials have opened the door to a suite of fabrication techniques that can simplify the equipment and reduce the processing complexity required to meet the demands of large-scale LCDs. Progress in OTFTs has been driven by advances in experimental techniques, material synthesis, and theoretical calculations and new improved experimental techniques are playing an important role in this expansion. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has emerged as a technique that can measure surface textures of such materials and quantitatively examine shapes and profiles of technologically important surface structures. Tapping mode AFM is the most common technique for topographic imaging of organic semiconductors in OTFTs for a number of reasons.