Electrolyte-gated transistors based on phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) films: bridging redox properties, charge carrier transport and device performance. Issue 43 (14th May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lan, Tian; Soavi, Francesca; Marcaccio, Massimo; Brunner, Pierre-Louis; Sayago, Jonathan; Santato, Clara
• Is Part Of: Chemical communications. Volume 54:Issue 43(2018)
• Page Start: 5490
• Page End: 5493
• Publication Date: 2018-05-14
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1039/c8cc03090a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-7345

Abstract

Abstract : We shed light on the correlation between electron transfer properties, ionic and electronic transport as well as device performance in ionic liquid (IL)-gated PCBM transistors. Abstract : Abstract : The n-type organic semiconductor phenyl-C61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), a soluble fullerene derivative well investigated for organic solar cells and transistors, can undergo several successive reversible, diffusion-controlled, one-electron reduction processes. We exploited such processes to shed light on the correlation between electron transfer properties, ionic and electronic transport as well as device performance in ionic liquid (IL)-gated transistors. Two ILs were considered, based on bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [TFSI] as the anion and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium [EMIM] or 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium [PYR14 ] as the cation. The aromatic structure of [EMIM] and its lower steric hindrance with respect to [PYR14 ] favor a 3D (bulk) electrochemical doping. As opposed to this, for [PYR14 ] the doping seems to be 2D (surface-confined). If the n-doping of the PCBM is pursued beyond the first electrochemical process, the transistor current vs. gate-source voltage plots in [PYR14 ][TFSI] feature a maximum that points to the presence of finite windows of high conductivity in IL-gated PCBM transistors.