Photolithographic processing and its influence on the performance of organic field-effect transistors

We report on the influence of photolithographic processing of source/drain electrodes on the device performance of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene)-based bottom-gate bottom-contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs). The presented results demonstrate that it is not only the processing conditions of the organic semiconductor influencing relevant device parameters, but it is also the preceding process steps including the structuring of electrodes via lift-off which significantly determine the OFET performance. In particular, the effects of photoresist residuals within the active channel region and the influence of the application of various lift-off chemicals were thoroughly investigated by contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy and electrical characterization of OFET-based devices. By modifying the dielectric/semiconductor and/or electrode/semiconductor interfaces, the applied chemicals are shown to affect the device performance in terms of switch-on voltage, subthreshold swing and on/off-current ratio. The present study emphasizes the necessity for the optimization of the manufacturing process in order to obtain reproducible high-performing OFETs and OFET-based sensors.

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