Molecules of rubrene are arranged in a herringbone pattern (upper left), forming highly ordered semiconducting molecular crystals that can be used to create rigid (upper right) or flexible (lower left) high-performance organic transistors, based on thick or ultra-thin single crystals, respectively. An example of a freestanding rubrene transistor is shown on a fingertip (lower right). Image: Vitaly Podzorov/Rutgers University-New Brunswick.Slightly bending semiconductors made of organic materials can roughly double the speed of electricity flowing through them and could benefit next-generation electronics such as sensors and solar cells, according to a new study led by researchers at Rutgers University. The researchers report their findings in a paper in Advanced Science.
"If implemented in electrical circuits, such an enhancement – achieved by very slight bending – would mean a major leap toward realizing next-generation, high-performance organic electronics," said senior author Vitaly Podzorov, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
The electrical conductivity of semiconductors can be tuned by different external stimuli, making them essential for all electronics. Organic semiconductors are made of organic molecules (mainly consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms) that form light, flexible crystals known as van der Waals molecular crystals. These novel materials are quite promising for applications in optoelectronics, which harness light and include flexible and printed electronics, sensors and solar cells. This is because traditional semiconductors made of silicon or germanium have limitations in terms of their cost and rigidity.
One of the most important characteristics of organic and inorganic semiconductors is how fast electricity can flow through electronic devices. Thanks to progress over the past decade, organic semiconductors can perform roughly 10 times better than traditional amorphous silicon transistors.
Tuning semiconductors by bending them is called ‘strain engineering’, and this would open up a new avenue of development in the semiconductor industry if implemented successfully. But until now, there was no conclusive experimental evidence on how bending organic semiconductors, including those in transistors, may affect the speed of electricity flowing through them.
The Rutgers-led study reports the first such measurement, showing that a 1% bend in an organic transistor based on single crystals of the hydrocarbon rubrene can roughly double the speed of electrons flowing through it. This useful behavior cannot easily be achieved with traditional semiconductors made from silicon or germanium, because they’re too rigid.
This story is adapted from material from Rutgers University, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier. Link to original source.