Performance enhancement of pentacene and F₁₆CuPc-based low-voltage devices using cross-linked blend gate dielectrics

Herein is reported the fabrication and systematic comparative analysis of low-voltage organic filed-effect transistors (OFETs) and inverters using bare ZrO_x dielectrics and inorganic-organic hybrid CZB (cross-linked ZrO_x/1,6-bis(trimethoxysily)hexane blend) dielectrics. Solution-processed sol-gel chemistry was employed to prepare the gate dielectrics. Two active layers of p-type pentacene and n-type copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (F₁₆CuPc) were deposited on the dielectrics using the neutral cluster beam deposition method. Compared with bare ZrO_x-based transistors and inverters, the CZB-based devices with low leakage current and high capacitance exhibited significantly higher hole and electron carrier mobilities of (0.12→ 1.03) and (1.3 ×10^-3→ 4.9 × 10^-3) cm² (Vs)^-1, respectively, and enhanced gains of (9.4→ 13.3), together with large output voltage swings and sharp inversions in the voltage transfer characteristics (VTCs). The CZB-based inverters also exhibited improved noise margins due to the higher gain and better symmetry of the VTCs compared with their bare ZrO_x-based counterparts. The results indicate that on the basis of the enhanced electrical properties of CZB dielectrics and the growth of high-quality crystalline semiconducting films on CZB dielectric surfaces, such high-performance devices operating at low voltage levels are promising potential components for integrated circuits.