Solution processable PEDOT: PSS based hybrid electrodes for organic field effect transistors

Abstract

We report high performance solution processed conductive inks used as contact electrodes for printed organic field effect transistors (OFETs). Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT: PSS) electrodes show highly improved very low sheet resistance of 65.8 +/- 6.5 Omega/square (Omega/square) by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and post treatment with methanol (MeOH) solvent. Sheet resistance was further improved to 33.8 +/- 8.6 Omega/square by blending silver nanowire (AgNW) with DMSO doped PEDOT: PSS. Printed OFETs with state of the art diketopyrrolopyrrole-thieno[ 3,2-b] thiophene (DPPT-TT) semiconducting polymer were demonstrated with various solution processable conductive inks, including bare, MeOH treated PEDOT: PSS, single wall carbon nanotubes, and hybrid PEDOT: PSS-AgNW, as the source and drain (S/D) electrode by spray printing using a metal shadow mask. The highest field effect mobility, 0.49 +/- 0.03 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) for DPPT-TT OFETs, was obtained using blended AgNW with DMSO doped PEDOT: PSS S/D electrode. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.