Integrated Optoelectronic Devices Based on Conjugated Polymers

TLDR

The device employs a regioregular poly(hexylthiophene) field‑effect transistor. The study aims to advance all‑polymer optoelectronic integrated circuits by demonstrating a FET‑LED device for active‑matrix polymer LED displays. High mobility arises from extended polaron states formed by local self‑organization, unlike the variable‑range hopping seen in disordered polymers. The integrated device, comprising a high‑mobility conjugated polymer FET driving a similarly sized polymer LED, achieves mobilities of 0.05–0.1 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ and ON‑OFF ratios >10⁶, approaching the performance of inorganic amorphous silicon FETs.

Abstract

An all-polymer semiconductor integrated device is demonstrated with a high-mobility conjugated polymer field-effect transistor (FET) driving a polymer light-emitting diode (LED) of similar size. The FET uses regioregular poly(hexylthiophene). Its performance approaches that of inorganic amorphous silicon FETs, with field-effect mobilities of 0.05 to 0.1 square centimeters per volt second and ON-OFF current ratios of >10(6). The high mobility is attributed to the formation of extended polaron states as a result of local self-organization, in contrast to the variable-range hopping of self-localized polarons found in more disordered polymers. The FET-LED device represents a step toward all-polymer optoelectronic integrated circuits such as active-matrix polymer LED displays.