(Digital Presentation) Effect of Active Layer Thickness on Organic Thin-Film Transistors
Authors: Moorthy Vijai M. , Srivastava Viranjay M. 
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACT: Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) are a substantial technological advancement in recent decades for various applications. The source/drain electrode layer and organic active layer thicknesses of Organic Thin-Film Transistors (OTFTs) should be optimized for better device performance. Organic electronics have been used for a wide range of applications, including flexible screens, smart digital devices, and photovoltaic cells, because of their flexibility and environmental sensitivity. The OTFT has the capability to match the efficiency of thin-film amorphous Silicon transistors, while also being companionable with low-temperature solution/printing-processed fabrication on flexible coupling substrates. The OTFTs are a valuable tool for determining unipolar carrier transport parameters in various situations.

In this present research work, authors have utilized the concept of OTFTs in the assessment of bipolar transport properties in active layer blends. It offers a strategy to improve the precision of the assessment. Thereafter, in this this research work, impacts of active layer thickness on physical parameters of OTFT device performance have been realized. The 2D numerical device simulators have been used to examine the proposed OTFT structures. The discussion focuses on the various characteristics and parameters of OTFTs. The OTFTs are transistors that manage electric current flow using organic semiconductors as an active layer. The output and transfer characteristics of various OTFT structures have been used to calculate the performance characteristics of OTFTs. Optimizing the OTFT's organic active layer thickness is critical for high device performance. Both photo-current and photo-responsivity exhibit the same variation trend with increasing organic active layer thicknesses, increasing rapidly for a while and then tending to saturate at high values. The research findings demonstrate the impact of these parameters on device performance and temperature and the need to optimize these variables in the device. The carrier mobility of the high-performance P3HT: PCBM-based OTFT structure was approximately 10 cm2/Vs, and an ON/OFF current ratio of ~103. These results are compatible with those OTFTs fabricated previously.

Research Methodology, Results, and Discussions

A schematic structure is shown in Figure 1(a) proposed structure top view, and 1(b) a side view of the proposed structure used for simulation. Top-gate OTFT and bottom-gate OTFT geometrical structures have been used in this OTFT. The device's contact resistance, field mobility, and threshold voltage degrade subjected to bias stress. Since top-gate OTFT has a higher device degradation, the authors used bottom-gate OTFT. Due to the distinct properties here in this work the authors utilized conventional materials such as a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as the active layer.

A P3HT: PCBM mix is simulated with an electronic device simulator and analyses the variation in active layer thickness that affects the device's performance and the factors that influence the performance of the device in this research work. The output and transfer characteristics of OTFTs have been realized using proper boundary conditions and OTFT physics. The proposed OTFT structures' output and transfer characteristics have been evaluated, and the simulated results show that the optimized structure's drain current (Id, max) is ~2.85 μA. The obtained results show that the device has good transfer and output characteristics at lower gate voltages. With increasing organic active layer thicknesses, both photo-current and photo-responsivity exhibit the same variation trend of increasing sharply at first and then tending to saturate at high values.

Conclusion

The simulation results examined the performance of devices built with bottom-gate OTFTs. A detailed analysis of the influence of active layer thickness on the OTFT configuration was realized. The device has the advantage of operating at a lower gate voltage, transforming it into a gate efficient control device. The operation at a lower voltage improves electrical stability. The electric field of the OTFT is 1.4x106 V/cm is obtained. The ON/OFF current ratio is higher. The outcomes of this analysis have been optimized and extracted after being tested in various contexts. The findings demonstrated that the suggested concept might be used to make rollable active-matrix displays, nonvolatile memory, sensors, and printed electronic devices. This work also reduces the SCEs and shows more efficient performance than traditional MOSFETs. Together with all application areas, the most important research area has been argued to be the simple manufacturing technique of OTFT with low production cost and non-breakable impacts that can be bent and folded. This device will be optimized with fabrication using these materials in the future, and thereafter, its characteristic will be verified with the simulated results.

Figure 1