Hybrid organic–metal oxide multilayer channel transistors with high operational stability

Abstract

Metal oxide thin-film transistors are increasingly used in the driving backplanes of organic light-emitting diode displays. Commercial devices currently rely on metal oxides processed via physical vapour deposition methods, but the use of solution-based processes could provide a simpler, higher-throughput approach that would be more cost effective. However, creating oxide transistors with high carrier mobility and bias-stable operation using such processes has proved challenging. Here we show that transistors with high electron mobility (50 cm2 V−1 s−1) and operational stability can be fabricated from solution-processed multilayer channels composed of ultrathin layers of indium oxide, zinc oxide nanoparticles, ozone-treated polystyrene and compact zinc oxide. Insertion of the ozone-treated polystyrene interlayer passivates electron traps in the channel and reduces bias-induced instability during continuous transistor operation over a period of 24 h and under a high electric-field flux density (2.1 × 10−6 C cm−2). Furthermore, incorporation of the pre-synthesized aluminium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles enables controlled n-type doping of the hybrid channels, providing additional control over the operating characteristics of the transistors. Thin-film transistors with a high electron mobility and operational stability can be fabricated from solution-processed multilayer channels composed of ultrathin layers of indium oxide, zinc oxide nanoparticles, ozone-treated polystyrene and compact zinc oxide.

Cite this article

Lin, YH., Li, W., Faber, H. et al. Hybrid organic–metal oxide multilayer channel transistors with high operational stability. Nat Electron 2, 587–595 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-019-0342-y

View full text

>> Full Text:   Hybrid organic–metal oxide multilayer channel transistors with high operational stability