Performance of a Printed Photodetector on a Paper Substrate

• Published in: IEEE photonics technology letters Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 305 - 308
• Main Authors: Aga, Roberto S., Lombardi, Jack P., Bartsch, Carrie M., Heckman, Emily M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.02.2014; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Aerosol jet; Conferences; DNA; Electrodes; Fiber optics; flexible electronics; Jet printing; Light emitting diodes; Optical fibers; optical sensor; organic semiconductors; Photodetectors; Photonics; Polymers; Printing; semiconductor devices; Silver; Substrates
• ISSN: 1041-1135; 1941-0174
• DOI: 10.1109/LPT.2013.2292830

A multilayer polymeric photodetector fabricated on a paper substrate by inkjet and aerosol jet printing has been demonstrated. It employs a poly(3-hexylthiophene) and C61-butyric acid methyl ester blend (P3HT:PCBM) as a photoactive layer sandwiched between a silver bottom electrode and a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) top electrode. A deoxyribonucleic acid biopolymer interlayer between P3HT:PCBM and PEDOT:PSS top electrode enables the printing of the PEDOT:PSS on P3HT:PCBM. The printed photodetector exhibits a photoresponse when photoexcited by four different light emitting diodes with center wavelengths of 405, 465, 525, and 635 nm. The highest responsivity was observed at 405 nm. The responsivity to pulsed light reveals a strong frequency dependence from 25 to 1000 Hz.