Stable Low-Voltage Operation Top-Gate Organic Field-Effect Transistors on Cellulose Nanocrystal Substrates

We report on the performance and the characterization of top-gate organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), comprising a bilayer gate dielectric of CYTOP/Al2O3 and a solution-processed semiconductor layer made of a blend of TIPS-pentacene:PTAA, fabricated on recyclable cellulose nanocrystal-glycerol (CNC/glycerol) substrates. These OFETs exhibit low operating voltage, low threshold voltage, an average field-effect mobility of 0.11 cm(2)/(V s), and good shelf and operational stability in ambient conditions. To improve the operational stability in ambient a passivation layer of Al2O3 is grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) directly onto the CNC/glycerol substrates. This layer protects the organic semiconductor layer from moisture and other chemicals that can either permeate through or diffuse out of the substrate.