Threshold voltage shift in organic field effect transistors by dipole monolayers on the gate insulator

We demonstrate controllable shift of the threshold voltage and the turn-on voltage in pentacene thin film transistors and rubrene single crystal field effect transistors (FET) by the use of nine organosilanes with different functional groups. Prior to depositing the organic semiconductors, the organosilanes were applied to the SiO2 gate insulator from solution and form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The observed shifts of the transfer characteristics range from −2to50V and can be related to the surface potential of the layer next to the transistor channel. Concomitantly the mobile charge carrier concentration at zero gate bias reaches up to 4×1012∕cm2. In the single crystal FETs the measured transfer characteristics are also shifted, while essentially maintaining the high quality of the subthreshold swing. The shift of the transfer characteristics is governed by the built-in electric field of the SAM and can be explained using a simple energy level diagram. In the thin film devices, the subthreshold re...