All-solution-processed bottom-gate organic thin-film transistor with improved subthreshold behaviour using functionalized pentacene active layer

We report organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) made by simple solution processes in an ambient air environment. Inkjet-printed silver electrodes were used for bottom-gate and bottom-contacted source/drain electrodes. A spin-coated cross-linked poly(4-vinylphenol) (PVP) and a spin-coated 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) were used as a gate dielectric layer and an active layer, respectively. A high-boiling-point solvent was used for TIPS-pentacene and the resulting film showed stem-like morphology. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement showed the spin-coated active layer was well crystallized, showing the (0 0 1) plane. The reasonable mobility, on/off ratio and threshold voltage of the fabricated device, which are comparable to those of the previously reported TIPS-pentacene OTFT with gold electrodes, show that the printed silver electrodes worked successfully as gate and source/drain electrodes. Furthermore, the device showed a subthreshold slope of 0.61 V/dec in the linear region (V-DS = -5 V), which is the lowest value for spin-coated TIPS-pentacene TFT ever reported, and much lower than that of the thermally evaporated pentacene OTFTs. It is thought that the surface energy of the PVP dielectric layer is well matched with that of a well-ordered TIPS-pentacene (0 0 1) surface when a high-boiling-point solvent and a low-temperature drying process are used, thereby making good interface properties, and showing higher performances than those for pentacene TFT with the same structure.