Tuning charge transport in organic semiconductors with nanoparticles and hexamethyldisilazane

In this study, we showcase the use of silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) treatment to regulate the thin film morphology and manipulate charge transport of solution-processed, small-molecular, organic semiconductors. 6,13-Bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS pentacene) was blended with SiO2 nanoparticles as an exemplary organic semiconductor. A higher concentration of SiO2 nanoparticles were observed near the edge of TIPS pentacene crystals and enlarged the width of crystal edges. This greatly reduced the dendritic crystal growth pattern of TIPS pentacene and contributed to its enhanced orientation uniformity. In addition, the HMDS treatment effectively passivated the silanol groups on the hydrophilic gate dielectrics. As a result, bottom-gate, top-contact TIPS pentacene/SiO2 nanoparticle-based organic thin-film transistors boosted a performance consistency enhancement (defined by the ratio of average mobility to the standard deviation of mobility). The combinational approach to employ SiO2 nanoparticles and HMDS treatment as demonstrated in this work sheds light on important applications in high-performance organic electronics devices on flexible substrate.