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Nanoscale mobility mapping in semiconducting polymer films.

A Alekseev1, A Yedrissov2, G J Hedley3

  • 1National Research University "MIET", Moscow, 124498, Russia; Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008, Russia.

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Summary

Conductive atomic force microscopy revealed non-uniform current in PTB7 polymer films, linked to crystallites. A new model accurately estimates nanoscale hole mobility, showing variations due to film structure.

Keywords:
Charge carrier mobilityConductive AFMCurrent distributionOrganic semiconductorSpace charge limited current

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Electronics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Thin films of the polymer PTB7 are crucial for organic electronic devices.
  • Understanding local electrical properties at the nanoscale is essential for device performance optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the local electrical properties of PTB7 polymer thin films using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM).
  • To develop and apply a modified semi-empirical model for estimating nanoscale charge mobility in PTB7 films.
  • To map the spatial distribution of nanoscale hole mobility and correlate it with film morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) for nanoscale current mapping and I-V curve acquisition.
  • Modification of a semi-empirical model to extract charge mobility from C-AFM data.
  • Analysis of current-voltage (I-V) characteristics to identify charge transport mechanisms like space charge limited current.

Main Results:

  • Non-uniform nanoscale current distribution was observed in neat PTB7 films, attributed to ordered PTB7 crystallites.
  • The local I-V curves were consistent with space charge limited current transport.
  • A modified model successfully estimated nanoscale hole mobility, yielding an average value in agreement with macroscopic measurements.
  • Nanoscale hole mobility mapping revealed significant spatial variations (over two times), with a root-mean-square value of 0.22 × 10-8 m2/(Vs).

Conclusions:

  • PTB7 thin films exhibit significant nanoscale variations in electrical properties influenced by their morphology.
  • The developed C-AFM-based method provides a reliable approach for estimating and mapping nanoscale charge mobility in organic semiconductors.
  • Understanding these local variations is critical for designing and fabricating high-performance organic electronic devices.