Current-voltage characteristics of single- and polycrystalline organic fiel
d-effect transistors are analyzed. The effect of bulk, interface, and grain
boundary traps is investigated. The frequently observed dependence of the
field-effect mobility on the gate voltage is ascribed to trapping processes
rather than to an intrinsic charge transport mechanism in these organic se
miconductors. Furthermore, the thermally activated mobility in polycrystall
ine devices, frequently observed, is ascribed to the formation of a potenti
al barrier at the grain boundaries of the polycrystalline semiconductor. Th
e barrier height depends significantly on the trap density and the position
of the Fermi energy and therefore on the gate voltage. (C) 2001 American I
nstitute of Physics.