Fully solution-processed flexible organic thin film transistor arrays with high mobility and exceptional uniformity

Printing fully solution-processed organic electronic devices may potentially revolutionize production of flexible electronics for various applications. However, difficulties in forming thin, flat, uniform films through printing techniques have been responsible for poor device performance and low yields. Here, we report on fully solution-processed organic thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays with greatly improved performance and yields, achieved by layering solution-processable materials such as silver nanoparticle inks, organic semiconductors, and insulating polymers on thin plastic films. A treatment layer improves carrier injection between the source/drain electrodes and the semiconducting layer and dramatically reduces contact resistance. Furthermore, an organic semiconductor with large-crystal grains results in TFT devices with shorter channel lengths and higher field-effect mobilities. We obtained mobilities of over 1.2 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) in TFT devices with channel lengths shorter than 20 μm. By combining these fabrication techniques, we built highly uniform organic TFT arrays with average mobility levels as high as 0.80 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and ideal threshold voltages of 0 V. These results represent major progress in the fabrication of fully solution-processed organic TFT device arrays.