Abstract: A blend for preparing a semiconducting layer an organic electronic device comprises a polymer, a first non-polymeric semiconductor, a second non-polymeric semiconductor and a third non-polymeric semiconductor. The blend enables higher concentration solutions of semiconductor and a broader solution processing window as compared to blends comprising one polymer and one non-polymeric semiconductor. For example, a blend comprising F8-TFB and three different substituted benzothiophene derivatives shows three-fold higher average saturation mobility in OTFTs as compared to a blend of one polymer and one of these benzo thiophene derivatives and consistent peak saturation mobilities after drying at 60° C., 80° C. and 100° C. even after a 2 minute delay.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkoxybenzenes and alkyl substituted alkoxybenzenes in reducing the contact resistance in an organic thin film transistor comprising a semiconductor layer comprising a blend of a small molecule semiconductor material and a polymer material that is deposited from a solution of said small molecule semiconductor material and said polymer material in said solvent and novel semiconductor blend formulations that are of particular use in preparing organic thin film transistors. Said solvents yield devices with lower absolute contact resistance, lower absolute channel resistance, and lower proportion of contact resistance to the total channel resistance.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an electronic device, such as an organic thin film transistor, is disclosed. A substrate, for example a silicate glass substrate, has a surface which supports at least one metallic electrode comprising at least one metal, for example gold, and at least a portion of the surface of the substrate is exposed. The method comprises selectively forming a self-assembled layer on the exposed portion of the substrate surface such that no self-assembled layer is formed on the at least one metallic electrode and applying a solution or other liquid which is repelled by the self-assembled layer to at least one metal electrode so as to selectively form a layer of further material, such as a charge injection promoting material, on the at least one metallic electrode.

Abstract: A method for preparing a semiconducting layer of an organic electronic device comprising: (i) depositing said semiconducting layer from a solution comprising a polymeric semiconductor, a non-polymeric semiconductor, a first aromatic solvent and a second aromatic solvent, wherein said second aromatic solvent has a boiling point that is at least 15° C. higher than the boiling point of said first aromatic solvent; and (ii) heating said deposited layer to evaporate said solvent, wherein said first aromatic solvent is of formula (I): wherein R1 is selected from C1-6 alkyl and OC1-6 alkyl; and R2 and R3 are each independently selected from H and CC1-6 alkyl.

Abstract: An organic thin film transistor comprises source and drain electrodes defining a channel between them; a surface-modification layer on at least part of the surface of each of the source and drain electrodes; an organic semiconductor layer extending across the channel and in contact with the surface-modification layers; a gate electrode; and a gate dielectric between the organic semiconductor layer and the gate dielectric. The surface-modification layers consist essentially of a partially fluorinated fullerene.

Abstract: Method for producing a semiconductor device such as an organic thin film transistor, and a device produced by the method, the method including the steps of forming conducting electrodes over a substrate, treating a surface of the electrodes with an arene substituted with an electron-withdrawing group to form an electrode contact layer over the electrodes, and forming an organic semiconductor layer over the substrate and electrodes, in which the substrate and electrodes are baked before the organic semiconductor layer is formed so as to reduce contaminants on the electrode contact layer and thereby promote improved crystal nucleation on a surface of the electrode.

Abstract: An organic semiconductor composition comprises at least one solvent, a polymer, a first small molecule organic semiconductor and a small molecule crystallization modifier. The first small molecule organic semiconductor:small molecule crystallization modifier weight ratio is at least 6:1, optionally at least 10:1, optionally at least 20:1. The small molecule crystallization modifier increases the uniformity of the first small molecule organic semiconductor distribution in an organic semiconductor layer deposited in the channel of an organic transistor, with the effect that the mobility of the organic transistor is higher than the mobility of an organic device comprising a composition without the small molecule crystallization modifier.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an electronic device, such as an organic thin film transistor, is disclosed. A substrate, for example a silicate glass substrate, has a surface which supports at least one metallic electrode comprising at least one metal, for example gold, and at least a portion of the surface of the substrate is exposed. The method comprises selectively forming a self-assembled layer on the exposed portion of the substrate surface such that no self-assembled layer is formed on the at least one metallic electrode and applying a solution or other liquid which is repelled by the self-assembled layer to at least one metal electrode so as to selectively form a layer of further material, such as a charge injection promoting material, on the at least one metallic electrode.

Abstract: The invention provides an ink comprising a blend of a polymer material and a small molecule semiconductor material dissolved or dispersed in a solvent, said blend comprising at least 70% by weight of said polymer material and wherein the ink concentration is at least 0.4% w/v. The polymer material is preferably TFB [9,9?-dioctylfluorene-co-N-(4-butylphenyl)-diphenylamine]n, and said small molecule semiconductor material preferably has the following formula: wherein X11 is a group of formula CnH2n+1 wherein n is an integer of from 4 to 16.

Abstract: Method for producing a semiconductor device such as an organic thin film transistor, and a device produced by the method, the method including the steps of forming conducting electrodes over a substrate, treating a surface of the electrodes with an arene substituted with an electron-withdrawing group to form an electrode contact layer over the electrodes, and forming an organic semiconductor layer over the substrate and electrodes, in which the substrate and electrodes are baked before the organic semiconductor layer is formed so as to reduce contaminants on the electrode contact layer and thereby promote improved crystal nucleation on a surface of the electrode.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an organic thin film transistor (TFT), comprising: providing a substrate layer; providing a gate electrode layer; providing a dielectric material layer; providing an organic semiconductor (OSC) material layer; providing a source and drain electrode layer; and wherein one or more of the layers is deposited using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) process. Preferably the organic TFT is a bottom gate device and the source and drain electrodes are deposited on an organic semiconductor layer, or over a dielectric material layer using LITI. Further preferably a dopant material may be provided between the OSC material and the source and drain electrode layer, wherein the dopant material may also be deposited using LITI. Also preferably, wherein the dopant may be a charge neutral dopant such as substituted TCNQ or F4TCNQ.

Abstract: The invention provides the use of a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkoxybenzenes and alkyl substituted alkoxybenzenes in reducing the contact resistance in an organic thin film transistor comprising a semiconductor layer comprising a blend of a small molecule semiconductor material and a polymer material that is deposited from a solution of said small molecule semiconductor material and said polymer material in said solvent and novel semiconductor blend formulations that are of particular use in preparing organic thin film transistors. Said solvents yield devices with lower absolute contact resistance, lower absolute channel resistance, and lower proportion of contact resistance to the total channel resistance.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a bank structure, includes: (a) forming a multi-layer structure on an underlying surface thereof, the multi-layer structure having at least a first layer and a second layer, (b) embossing the second layer so as to define a bank pattern in the second layer, (c) transferring the bank pattern to the first layer so as to form a bank structure defining an indented region; and (d) removing the second layer after the step (c) so as to expose a surface of the first layer as a top surface of the bank structure.

Abstract: The invention disclosed relates to the fabrication of electronic devices. A method for fabricating an electronic device is disclosed, comprising embossing a surface of a work-piece 200, 202 using an embossing tool 204, so as to form a microstructure having at least two levels of thickness contrast on the work-piece surface, and depositing fluid 208 containing a functional material onto the microstructure. In a preferred embodiment, the step of depositing fluid 208 comprises ink-jet printing. An embossing tool 204 for creating a microstructure on a work-piece 200, 202 is also disclosed, the embossing tool 204 comprising a first surface and steps of at least two different heights relative to the first surface.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescent device comprising: a substrate; a first electrode disposed over the substrate for injecting charge of a first polarity; a second electrode disposed over the first electrode for injecting charge of a second polarity opposite to said first polarity; an organic electroluminescent layer disposed between the first and the second electrode; and a layer of polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLC), wherein said layer of PDLC does not have its own associated electrodes and drive circuitry forming a switchable PDLC cell.

Abstract: A method of forming a top gate transistor comprising the steps of providing a substrate carrying source and drain electrodes defining a channel region therebetween; treating at least part of the surface of the channel region to reduce its polarity; and depositing a semiconductor layer in the channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an organic thin film transistor (TFT), comprising: providing a substrate layer; providing a gate electrode layer; providing a dielectric material layer; providing an organic semiconductor (OSC) material layer; providing a source and drain electrode layer; and wherein one or more of the layers is deposited using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) process. Preferably the organic TFT is a bottom gate device and the source and drain electrodes are deposited on an organic semiconductor layer, or over a dielectric material layer using LITI. Further preferably a dopant material may be provided between the OSC material and the source and drain electrode layer, wherein the dopant material may also be deposited using LITI. Also preferably, wherein the dopant may be a charge neutral dopant such as substituted TCNQ or F4TCNQ.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flexible substrates having on their surface a wetting contrast. The wetting contrast comprises adjacent areas of different hydrophilicity and/or oleophilicity. The present invention further relates to methods of production of such substrates and to methods of producing microelectronic components wherein electronically functional material is deposited onto said substrates. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method of producing a flexible substrate having a wetting contrast is provided. The method includes the step of forming a first area comprising an inorganic material on a flexible substrate precursor to form a substrate wherein the inorganic material is at least partially exposed at the substrate surface and the first area constitutes a pattern on the precursor surface.

Abstract: According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for forming a semiconductor film comprising a first step of providing a solution comprising a first organic semiconductor and a second organic semiconductor on a surface of a substrate. The solution is then dried to form the semiconductor film so that it comprises discrete domains of the first organic semiconductor in a matrix of the second organic semiconductor which electrically connects adjacent domains of the first organic semiconductor. The first and second semiconductors are of the same conductivity type. The mobility of charge carriers in the domains of the first organic semiconductor is higher than the mobility of charge carriers in the matrix of the second organic semiconductor.

Abstract: An inkjet deposition apparatus includes a position encoder 128 in a translation stage 116. The position encoder provides encoder signals which are used as a clock signal for a pattern memory 136. Ejection of droplets of a material to be printed can therefore be synchronised with the speed of movement of the translation, providing improved accuracy and speed of deposition.