Nanotube Transistors as Direct Probes of the Trap Dynamics at Dielectric−Organic Interfaces of Interest in Organic Electronics and Solar Cells

• Published in: Nano letters Vol. 8; no. 11; pp. 3619 - 3625
• Main Authors: Anghel, Costin, Derycke, Vincent, Filoramo, Arianna, Lenfant, Stéphane, Giffard, Benoit, Vuillaume, Dominique, Bourgoin, Jean-Philippe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01.11.2008
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electronics; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Molecular electronics, nanoelectronics; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanotubes; Natural energy; Photovoltaic conversion; Physics; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells; Solar energy; Transistors; Nanotube devices; Carbon nanotubes; Polymer; Thin film; Solar cell; Field effect transistor; Relaxation; Trapping; Silicon oxides; Dielectric thin films; Organic semiconductors; Titanium oxide; Nanostructured materials; Gates; Interface
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl801543k

The high sensitivity of nanotube transistors is used for the first time as a probe to study charge dynamics at a dielectric/polymer (polythiophene) interface, an inorganic/organic junction of particular importance for organic solar cells, and organic field effect transistors (OFETs). A carbon nanotube field effect transistor is coated with a thin film of a photoconductive polymer and photoexcited so as to generate carriers in the structure. Comparison between devices using SiO2 and TiO2 as gate dielectric reveals the critical role of the dielectric and clearly elucidates the relative contributions of the polymer and the dielectric layers on the separation, trapping, and relaxation of photogenerated charges.