Investigating local (photo-)current and structure of ZnPc:C60 bulk-heterojunctions

The performance of organic solar cells strongly depends on the nanoscale structure of the used mixed absorber layer. Utilizing photoconductive and conductive atomic force microscopy (pcAFM and cAFM), as well as transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), we investigate the influence of different substrate temperatures T_sub on the thin-film structure and local photocurrent in bulk-heterojunctions (BHJs) of vacuum deposited zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) mixed absorber layers. In this paper, we present topography maps, photocurrent maps under short-circuit current conditions, dark-current maps, and TXM images with high lateral resolution down to 25 nm. We observe a strong influence of the substrate temperatures during deposition T_sub on the nanoscopical segregation of the two components in the BHJ. This segregation leads to a spatial extension of the dark-current and a reduced short-circuit current at higher substrate deposition temperatures T_sub.     

A comparison of two air-stable molecular n-dopants for C60

We compare two air-stable n-dopants for the fullerene C₆₀: AOB and DMBI-POH. Conductivity and Seebeck coefficient measurements were performed at various doping concentrations and the thermal activation of the conductivity was determined. A superlinear increase of conductivity upon doping was found for DMBI-POH doped C₆₀ reaching a maximum conductivity of 5.3 S/cm. In contrast to this, a linear rise of conductivity and an exponential thermal activation of mobility was observed for C₆₀ doped by AOB. This suggests a different doping mechanism for the two compounds.     

Efficient organic near-infrared photodetectors based on lead phthalocyanine/C60 heterojunction

High efficiency organic small molecule near-infrared photodetectors (NIR-PDs) based on a lead phthalocyanine/C₆₀ planar heterojunction are demonstrated. The NIR-PDs show a broad-band response that extends to 1100 nm. The performance of the NIR-PDs is improved by using CuI as anode buffer layer. The optimized NIR-PD exhibits a response peak at about 900 nm with external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 19.7% at zero bias and 35.1% at −6 V, which are higher than other small molecule NIR-PDs reported. Comparable EQEs of 18.0% at zero bias and 33.2% at −6 V are found in the NIR-PD by further using 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline as cathode buffer layer. Meanwhile, the dark current is significantly reduced, which results in a high detectivity of 2.34 × 10¹¹ Jones at zero bias, which is among the highest detectivities reported for organic small-molecule NIR-PDs. Besides, the NIR-PDs show a reliable stability in ambient condition.     

High efficiency organic photovoltaic cells based on inverted SubPc/C60/ITO cascade junctions

Conventional heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells typically involve the deposition of the electron donor layer (or donor–acceptor blend) on top of a transparent anode, with the cathode deposited last. Inverting the structure and deposition sequence usually worsens the performance characteristics, except device lifetime. We compare conventional (SubPc/C₆₀) and inverted (C₆₀/SubPc) junctions, the latter exhibiting a power conversion efficiency of 3.5%. We also find a significant trade-off between the open circuit voltage and short circuit photocurrent, potentially attributable to the formation of a C₆₀/ITO Schottky junction, and a change from exciton-quenching to exciton-blocking behavior of the SubPc:MoO_X interface in inverted devices.     

KFM detection of charges injected by AFM into a thin SiO2 layer containing Si nanocrystals

Charge retention of Si nanocrystals elaborated by ultra-low energy ion implantation and thermal annealings into a thin SiO₂ layer is characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Kelvin force microscopy (KFM). Electrons and holes are injected under ambient conditions by applying different bias to a conductive AFM tip in contact with the grounded sample. A surface potential mapping of the sample by KFM is continuously carried out after charge injection. The temporal decay of injected charges and their corresponding lateral spreading are quantified. The results show that the presence of Si nanocrystals leads to a strong charge confinement.     

Dark current and photovoltage models on the formation of depletion region in C60/NPB organic heterojunctions

We establish quantitative models on the formation of depletion regions in organic photodiodes (OPD) based on fullerene/N,N′-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(1-naphthyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (C₆₀/NPB) heterojunctions. The models describe the relation of dark current and open-circuit voltage to the deposited thickness of C₆₀ or NPB. Interfacial electronic structures, such as built-in potential, the charge density, the minimized thicknesses of completely developed depletion regions and the energy level bending on each side of the heterojunction were derived from the fitting model. Also, we observed a shift of depletion region from NPB to C₆₀ due to the relative change of charge density under illumination. The device performance proved the reasonability of the models. This paper provides a universally applicable method to probe the interfacial information of organic semiconductors.     

Air stable C60 based n-type organic field effect transistor using a perfluoropolymer insulator

Air stable n-type organic field effect transistors (OFETs) based on C₆₀ are realized using a perfluoropolymer as the gate dielectric layer. The devices showed the field-effect mobility of 0.049 cm²/V s in ambient air. Replacing the gate dielectric material by SiO₂ resulted in no transistor action in ambient air. Perfluorinated gate dielectric layer reduces interface traps significantly for the n-type semiconductor even in air.     

Variable temperature characterization of N,N′-Bis(n-pentyl)terrylene-3,4:11,12-tetracarboxylic diimide thin film transistor

Organic thin film transistors (OTFT) based on N,N′-Bis(n-pentyl)terrylene-3,4:11,12-tetracarboxylic diimide (TTCDI-5C) with Al or Au top-contact electrodes were deposited on SiO₂ (200 nm)/p-Si (0 0 1) substrates. Carrier mobility was examined as a function of temperature in the range from 50 to 310 K. Two distinct carrier transfer behaviours were observed: temperature independent behaviour below 150 K and thermally activated behaviour above 150 K. Activation energies presented values of 85–130 meV depending on the metal electrodes (Au, Al), which can be attributed to the carrier traps at the interface and the energy-level offset between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and the work functions of the respective metals.     

Interface optimization using diindenoperylene for C60 thin film transistors with high electron mobility and stability

C₆₀-based organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) with high electron mobility and high operational stability are achieved with (1 1 1) oriented C₆₀ films grown by using template effects of diindenoperylene (DIP) under layer on the SiO₂ gate insulator. The electron mobility of the C₆₀ transistor is significantly increased from 0.21 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ to 2.92 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ by inserting the template-DIP layer. Moreover much higher operational stability is also observed for the DIP-template C₆₀ OTFTs. A grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and ultrahigh-sensitivity photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that the improved electron mobility and stability arise from the decreased density of trap states in the C₆₀ film due to increased (1 1 1) orientation of C₆₀-grains and their crystallinity on the DIP template.     

Probing the effect of substrate heating during deposition of DCV4T:C60 blend layers for organic solar cells

We present a comprehensive investigation of morphological changes inside the active layer of an organic solar cell induced by substrate heating during layer deposition by thermal evaporation in ultra-high vacuum. To explore the trends observed in solar cell devices, we apply absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and organic field effect transistor measurements. The material combination we use comprises unsubstituted dicyanovinyl end-capped quaterthiophene (DCV4T) as the donor material mixed with C₆₀ as the acceptor. The solar cell power conversion efficiency decreases with increasing substrate temperature during film deposition due to changes in the crystalline structure of the oligothiophene phase, leading to a decrease in absorption strength. Photoluminescence measurements show that substrate heating increases the amount of phase separation between the donor and acceptor, and topology and structure investigations reveal large aggregates of polycrystalline DCV4T at the surface. However, the fill factor is increased for higher substrate temperatures due to better transport properties. The highest efficiency obtained with this material combination and stack design is 3.0% under AM1.5g illumination.     

Grain boundary mediated leakage current in polycrystalline HfO2 films

In this work, we combine conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) and first principles calculations to investigate leakage current in thin polycrystalline HfO₂ films. A clear correlation between the presence of grain boundaries and increased leakage current through the film is demonstrated. The effect is a result of a number of related factors, including local reduction in the oxide film thickness near grain boundaries, the intrinsic electronic properties of grain boundaries which enhance direct tunnelling relative to the bulk, and segregation of oxygen vacancy defects which increase trap assisted tunnelling currents. These results highlight the important role of grain boundaries in determining the electrical properties of polycrystalline HfO₂ films with relevance to applications in advanced logic and memory devices.     

并五苯钝化层增强C60有机场效应晶体管性能的研究

We investigated the properties of C₆₀-based organic field-enect transistors（OFETs）（?） a pentacene passivation layer inserted between the C₆₀ active layer and the gate dielectric.After modification of the pentacene passivation layer,the performance of the devices was considerably improved compared to C₆₀-based OFETs with only a PMMA dielectric.The peak field-effect mobility was up to 1.01 cm²/（V·s） and the on/off ratio shifted to 10⁴.This result indicates that using a pentacene passivation layer is an effective way to improve the performance of N-type OFETs.     

New approach for forming bulk-heterojunction solar cells comprising a π-conjugated polymer and C60

A new approach for high-efficiency polymer solar cells utilizing a BHJ active layer consisting of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) as a donor and buckminsterfullerene, C₆₀ as an acceptor was demonstrated. P3HT/C₆₀ BHJ films were made possible by in situ formation of C₆₀ from solubilized addends, C₆₀–CpCO₂R (R = Hex, Oct, and EHex) by retro Diels–Alder reaction at, or above, 100 °C. These cells exhibit enhanced performances compared to as-prepared P3HT/C₆₀ BHJ films, showing better morphology.     

Flexible organic light-emitting diodes with ZnS/Ag/ZnO/Ag/WO3 multilayer electrode as a transparent anode

We investigated the highly flexible, transparent and very low resistance ZnS/1st Ag/ZnO/2nd Ag/WO₃ (ZAZAW) multilayer electrodes on PET substrate as an anode in flexible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). A theoretical calculation was first conducted to obtain the optimal thickness of the ZAZAW multilayer for high transparency. Its measured luminous transmittance was over 80% in the visible range with a very low sheet resistance of 2.17 Ω/sq., and it had good mechanical flexibility due to the ductility of Ag. Ag’s effect on optical and electrical properties was also studied. Flexible OLEDs devices that were fabricated on ZAZAW multilayer anode showed good hole injection properties comparable to those of ITO-based OLEDs due to the use of WO₃ as a hole injection layer. However, the electroluminescent properties of the ZAZAW-based OLEDs varied depending on WO₃ thickness. Although the transmittance of the ZAZAW electrode was reduced by tuning the WO₃ thickness to adjust the microcavity effect, the device efficiency could be enhanced above that of ITO-based OLEDs.     

ITO-free,efficient, and inverted phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using a WO3/Ag/WO3 multilayer electrode

We present an indium tin oxide (ITO)-free, bottom-emission inverted phosphorescent organic light-emitting diode (PHOLED) with a maximum luminance of 280,000 cd/m² at 8 V, total maximum current efficiency of 81.4 cd/A, and external quantum efficiency of 22.4%. The inverted OLED structure is composed of glass/WO₃ (30 nm)/Ag (15 nm)/WO₃ (5 nm)/BPhen:15wt% CS₂CO₃ (5 nm)/BPhen (30 nm)/CBP: 8wt% Ir(ppy)₃ (10 nm)/TAPC (50 nm)/WO₃ (5 nm)/Ag (150 nm) multilayers. In this device structure, the WO₃/Ag/WO₃ (WAW) multilayer serving as a transparent cathode demonstrates a low sheet resistance (3.5 Ω/sq) and high optical transmittance (approximately 80%) in a visible light range of 400–600 nm; this multilayer was prepared by thermal evaporation to form a relatively smooth morphology of the conductive thin film on the glass substrate. In addition, an electron-only WAW device was subjected to electrical characterization, and the results revealed that this device exhibited a more efficient electron injection property at the WAW/BPhen:CS₂CO₃ interface than the contact electrode of a standard ITO-based device.     

Inserting a Mn-doped TiO2 layer for improving performance of pentacene organic thin-film transistors

Device performance of pentacene organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) was significantly improved via inserting a Mn-doped TiO₂ layer between pentacene semiconductor and the source–drain electrodes. In comparison with the OTFTs with only-Au electrodes, the introduction of a thin Mn-doped TiO₂ layer leads to saturation current increasing from 31.9 μA to 0.22 mA, effective field-effect mobility improving from 0.24 to 1.13 cm²/V s, and threshold voltage downshifting from −11 to −2 V. These performance enhancements are ascribed to the significant reduction of contact resistance and smoothed surface of pentacene layer. This work may provide an effective approach to improve the performance of the pentacene based OTFTs by inserting a Mn-doped TiO₂ layer.     

Al-oxynitrides as a buffer layer for Pr2O3/SiC interfaces

We elaborate the possibility of combining high-k dielectrics with wide band gap semiconductors, i.e. Pr₂O₃ on SiC. The thermal stability of interfacial aluminum oxynitride (AlON) layers between Pr-oxide and SiC has been investigated by synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy (SRPES). The interface of Pr₂O₃ with SiC is reactive. Such reaction is successfully prevented by utilizing a stable interlayer derived from AlON. No elemental carbon is observed in detectable amount after Pr-Oxide deposition on AlON covered 3C-SiC and subsequent vacuum annealing. After vacuum annealing at 500 °C AlON transformed to AlN and Pr-aluminate with a small amount of CN close to the SiC surface which were thermally stable even at 900 °C. AlON hence provides a good diffusion barrier between Pr-oxide dielectric and 3C-SiC.     

Drain current enhancement and negligible current collapse in GaN MOSFETs with atomic-layer-deposited HfO2 as a gate dielectric

Accumulation-type GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFET’s) with atomic-layer-deposited HfO₂ gate dielectrics have been fabricated; a 4 μm gate-length device with a gate dielectric of 14.8 nm in thickness (an equivalent SiO₂ thickness of 3.8 nm) gave a drain current of 230 mA/mm and a broad maximum transconductance of 31 mS/mm. Owing to a low interfacial density of states (D_it) at the HfO₂/GaN interface, more than two third of the drain currents come from accumulation, in contrast to those of Schottky-gate GaN devices. The device also showed negligible current collapse in a wide range of bias voltages, again due to the low D_it, which effectively passivate the surface states located in the gate-drain access region. Moreover, the device demonstrated a larger forward gate bias of +6 V with a much lower gate leakage current.     

Epitaxial (La,Sr)TiO3 as a conductive buffer for high temperature superconducting coated conductors

The transport and structural properties of (La,Sr)TiO₃ epitaxial thin films grown by pulsed-laser deposition is presented. In particular, the potential use of (La,Sr)TiO₃ as a conductive buffer layer for subsequent growth of high temperature superconducting films for coated conductors is discussed. Van der Pauw measurements of film resistivity as a function oxidation conditions show that, for undoped LaTiO₃ films, the resistivity increases rapidly as background oxygen pressure is increased, which is consistent with the formation of the LaTiO_3+x phase. Sr doping of LaTiO₃ significantly enhances the conductivity of thin film materials when synthesized under oxidizing conditions. The transport behavior for Sr-doped LaTiO₃ films correlates with structural data showing no significant shift in lattice spacing as oxygen partial pressure is increased during film growth. In addition, the epitaxial growth of (La,Sr)TiO₃ on biaxially textured Ni alloy tapes is demonstrated. These results suggest that (La,Sr)TiO₃ is a viable candidate as a conducting buffer for superconducting film growth on biaxially textured metal tapes.