Organic Field Effect Transistors for Large Format Electronics

Organic field effect transistors (OFETs) are gaining rapid attention for their vast technical and commercial potential. Their low cost, low-temperature processing, and compatibility with flexible substrates are key attributes and are especially suitablefor large format electronics manufacturing. Although organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are already in production for displays in cell phones and PDA's, the electrical properties of these organic compounds have not been as well exploited due totechnical difficulties. By developing the OFET one can envision the enabling of large area display drivers (together with organic light emitters), electronic circuits on smart cards, and many other commercial and military applications. Here we proposevacuum processing which is more difficult than wet chemistry processes such as spin coating, but allows better control on device structure and interface properties to address the material challenges. In Phase-I, we propose a combination of device modelingand process development for tight control of the process parameters, leading to a better understanding of the material deposition and device performance. Low cost production will be investigated in the follow-on phase. Once the process is developed theOFETs can be scaled up for manufacturing using existing OLED production tools. Organic electronics is an enabling technology for large format displays on flexible substrates and smart cards. It would benefit consumer products from wearable personalcomputers to secured electronics commerce.