Abstract

We report comprehensive characterization of electrolyte-gated polymer thin-film transistors (TFTs) incorporating solution processable polymer semiconductors and high capacitance "ion gel" gate dielectrics. The ion gel dielectrics comprise self-assembled networks of triblock copolymers such as poly(styrene-b-methylmethacrylate-b-styrene) [PS-PMMA-PS] that are swollen with ionic liquids, e.g., (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][TFSI]). The capacitance of the gels is exceptionally large (>10 μF/cm2 at 10 Hz), which is derived from the high concentration of mobile ions and facilitates operation of ion gel-gated organic TFTs (GEL-OTFTs) at very low voltages (1 nm) of [TFSI]− anion into the polymer semiconductor at the gel/polymer semiconductor interface, corresponding to an electrochemical doping process. On the other hand, for time scales shorter than 1 ms (i.e., for GEL-OTFT switching frequencies >1 kHz), the device switching mechanism can be viewed as primarily electrostatic as average ion penetration depths are less than 1 nm.