Organic Semiconductor Materials Using Hydrogen-Bonded Stacking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for fabricating organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) using room-temperature wet processes result in thin films with reduced intermolecular ordering, leading to decreased charge mobility and increased off-state leakage current, making them unsuitable for various applications.

Innovation Solution

The use of mixtures of low-molecular-weight aromatic ring compounds with heteroatoms, such as nitrogen or oxygen, that form hydrogen bonds, inducing increased intermolecular stacking in organic semiconductor materials, allowing for the formation of organic semiconductor thin films with improved packing densities and electrical properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If room-temperature wet processes are used to form organic thin films, then fabrication cost is reduced and manufacturing simplicity is improved, but intermolecular ordering is decreased leading to reduced charge mobility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabrication simplicityVSAvoidintermolecular ordering

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the semiconductor material by incorporating heteroatoms (nitrogen, oxygen) at specific positions in the molecular structure. This changes the intermolecular interaction parameters, enabling hydrogen bonding that induces stacking and improves intermolecular ordering even when processed via simple room-temperature wet methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses composite molecular structures combining aromatic ring compounds with specific heteroatom arrangements. These composite structures exhibit both the ease of processing characteristic of organic materials and the ordered packing typically associated with more complex materials, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and structural order.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional organic semiconductor materials are used in room-temperature wet processes, then fabrication cost is reduced, but charge mobility is decreased and off-state leakage current is increased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabrication costVSAvoidcharge mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the molecular parameters by introducing heteroatoms (nitrogen, oxygen) at specific positions in the aromatic ring compounds. This modifies the electronic structure and intermolecular interaction parameters, enabling the material to achieve high charge mobility through hydrogen-bond-induced stacking while maintaining compatibility with low-cost room-temperature wet processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If simple room-temperature wet processes are used, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but intermolecular packing density is decreased

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefabrication procedure complexityVSAvoidintermolecular packing density

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the semiconductor material to self-organize into stacked structures through intrinsic hydrogen bonding between heteroatoms and hydrogen atoms in adjacent molecules. This self-service mechanism occurs spontaneously during simple room-temperature wet processing, eliminating the need for complex post-processing steps while achieving high intermolecular packing density.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The approach results in OTFTs with enhanced charge mobility and reduced off-state leakage current, making them suitable for a broader range of applications by incorporating organic semiconductor materials that exhibit improved intermolecular packing densities and electrical properties.

Implementation Method 1

at least one heteroatom, for example, nitrogen or oxygen, is present in the molecules and in a position whereby the heteroatom(s) can form bonds with a hydrogen atom of an adjacent molecule, the hydrogen bond being of sufficient strength to induce intermolecular stacking

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrogen bonding: Chemical Bonding

Data Source

PatentUS7719000B2Organic semiconductor materials using stacking-inducing compounds, compositions comprising such materials, organic semiconductor thin films formed using such compositions, and organic electronic devices incorporating such thin films

Publication Date: 2010.05.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

Disclosed are organic semiconductor materials, including mixtures of relatively low molecular weight aromatic ring compounds, in which at least one nitrogen atom or oxygen atom is present as a heteroatom in the aromatic ring compounds for forming hydrogen bonds between the heteroatom(s) and adjacent molecules and thereby increase intermolecular stacking. Organic semiconductor layers formed using such organic semiconductor materials will, accordingly, exhibit increased intermolecular stacking and associated improvements in one or more electrical properties of the semiconductor layer. Organic thin film transistors incorporating such organic semiconductor layers will tend to exhibit improved transistor properties including, for example, increased carrier mobility and reduced off-state leakage current. Further, the organic semiconductor layers may be manufactured using conventional room temperature processes, for example, spin coating or printing, thereby simplifying the fabrication process.