Anodization and microcontact printing on electroless silver: Solution-based fabrication procedures for low-voltage electronic systems with organic active components

This communication demonstrates the combined use of two techniques for fabr icating transistors that incorporate an organic semiconductor and that can operate at low voltages: anodization for thin (similar to 50 nm), high-capa citance gate dielectrics and microcontact printing on electroless silver fo r high-resolution (similar to 1 mu m) source/drain electrodes. The techniqu es are attractive for use with organic active components because (i) they a re carried out at or near room temperature in aqueous solutions, (ii) they are compatible with important organic semiconductors and flexible plastic s ubstrates, and (iii) they are suitable for reel-to-reel processing, n- and p-Channel devices formed with the organic semiconductors dihexyl quinquethi ophene and copper hexadecafluorophthalocyanine and anodized tantalum and si licon substrates illustrate the typical performance of transistors fabricat ed with these methods.