Fabrication of 6,13-bis(triisopropyl-silylethynyl)-pentacene thin-film transistors with the silver ink transfer method using a polymer stamp

We fabricated 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) thin film transistors using a direct metal transfer method. Using different metals, such as Au and Ag ink, electrode patterns are formed from the relief region of the polymer mold. TIPS-pentacene TFTs using the Ag ink transfer method show a similar performance to those using the Au metal transfer method. This method has advantages over the Au metal transfer method because it does not require vacuum equipment and a dry etching process. The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) treated device exhibits a carrier mobility of 9.5 × 10^-2 cm²/V · s, and an on/off ratio of 4.6 × 10⁴. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) In this Letter, the authors report on the fabrication of TIPS-pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs) using the Ag ink transfer method, which is a more rapid and cheap process than the Au metal transfer method because it does not require a vacuum equipment. The TIPS-pentacene TFTs with the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) treated Ag ink electrode show better electrical properties compared to a device with evaporated Au electrodes.