Advisors: L. Porter and M. Bockstaller,
MSE.
Research and development of organic semiconductor
materials for electronic applications have shown
intense growth in the last few years. Since
the discovery of conducting properties in polyacetylene,
many other organic polymers have also been found
to have conducting or semiconducting properties. Versatile
attributes, such as solution processability and low
cost, make these materials well suited for applications
such as electronic displays on flexible substrates
and large-area photovoltaics. Some important practical,
or commercial, applications of semiconducting polymers
include organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic
thin film field effect transistors (OFETs), and photovoltaic
cells (OPVs). One major difference between semiconducting
polymers and conventional semiconductors like silicon
is the limited crystallinity of semiconducting polymers. In
this research project we will investigate the crystallization
of polythiophene and its effect on the performance
of OFETs based on this material. During the
course of the project, the student will gain experience
with a variety of processing and characterization
techniques, such as directional crystallization,
x-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, atomic force
microscopy, and current-voltage measurements. |
