Organic bipolar transistors

Devices made using thin-film semiconductors have attracted much interest recently owing to new application possibilities. Among materials systems suitable for thin-film electronics, organic semiconductors are of particular interest; their low cost, biocompatible carbon-based materials and deposition by simple techniques such as evaporation or printing enable organic semiconductor devices to be used for ubiquitous electronics, such as those used on or in the human body or on clothing and packages(1-3). The potential of organic electronics can be leveraged only if the performance of organic transistors is improved markedly. Here we present organic bipolar transistors with outstanding device performance: a previously undescribed vertical architecture and highly crystalline organic rubrene thin films yield devices with high differential amplification (more than 100) and superior high-frequency performance over conventional devices. These bipolar transistors also give insight into the minority carrier diffusion length-a key parameter in organic semiconductors. Our results open the door to new device concepts of high-performance organic electronics with ever faster switching speeds.

Automated summary

Devices made using thin-film semiconductors, especially organic semiconductors, have gained significant attention due to their new application possibilities. In this study, we present organic bipolar transistors with outstanding device performance, achieved through a previously undescribed vertical architecture and highly crystalline organic rubrene thin films. These transistors exhibit high differential amplification and superior high-frequency performance, providing insight into the minority carrier diffusion length in organic semiconductors.