Surface-Mediated Solidification of a Semiconducting Polymer during Time-Controlled Spin-Coating.
Jin Yeong Na1, Boseok Kang2, Seung Goo Lee3
1Department of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Incheon National University , Incheon 22012, Korea.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|December 30, 2016
Summary
Spin-casting polymer semiconductors for a few seconds enhances molecular ordering and charge transport. Halting the spin before the drying line forms is crucial for optimal performance in polymer field-effect transistors.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Chemistry
- Organic Electronics
Background:
- Spin-coating is a common technique for fabricating thin films.
- Controlling molecular ordering in polymer semiconductors is key for efficient charge transport.
- Understanding solidification kinetics during spin-coating is essential for optimizing film properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how substrate surface characteristics affect drying kinetics during spin-coating.
- To systematically study the microstructural evolution of semiconducting polymers during solidification.
- To evaluate the performance of polymer field-effect transistors fabricated with controlled spin-coating.
Main Methods:
- Spin-coating of polymer semiconductor solutions with varying spin times.
- Surface treatments of substrates to modify surface characteristics.
- Analysis of drying kinetics and solidification onset time.
- Microstructural characterization of polymer thin films.
- Fabrication and electrical characterization of polymer field-effect transistors.
Main Results:
- Short spin times (a few seconds) significantly improved molecular ordering and charge transport.
- Halting spin-coating before the drying line propagation is critical.
- Substrate surface characteristics influence drying kinetics and solidification onset time.
- Spin time for enhanced properties correlates with solidification onset time, which is tunable via surface treatments.
- Improved molecular ordering led to enhanced electrical performance in polymer field-effect transistors.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing spin-coating parameters, particularly spin time and stopping point, is vital for high-performance polymer semiconductor films.
- Substrate surface engineering offers a route to control solidification kinetics and enhance film morphology.
- This approach enables the fabrication of efficient polymer field-effect transistors with improved charge transport properties.
