Charge injection from organic charge-transfer salts to organic semiconductors

Abstract

Highly conducting films of organic charge-transfer (CT) salts are fabricated by a solution process from the dispersions stabilized by poly(vinylpyrrolidone). This method provides a general way to obtain conducting films of nonvolatile organic cation- and anion-radical salts with inorganic counter ions. Carrier injection from organic CT salts to organic semiconductors is investigated by using these films as electrodes in organic field-effect transistors. Efficient hole injection is observed not only from organic cation-radical salts but also from anion-radical salts to pentacene and sexithiophene. Electron injection is dominant from both types of CT salts to C₆₀, but hole injection and ambipolar characteristics are observed for cation-radical salts. The Fermi levels of the CT salts are discussed on the basis of these observations.