Development of fullerenes and their derivatives as semiconductors in field-effect transistors: exploring the molecular design

Fullerenes and their derivatives applied in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), as semiconductors, have been extensively studied over the past two decades and recently a lot of progress has been made. Relevant reports are widely collected here and a systematic classification of these reported compounds is sorted afterwards. This review describes the effect of these compounds on OFET device performance, especially on mobility and stability. The topic focuses on the relationship between the chemical structure and device performance. The preparation and synthesis of each classified compound is also introduced briefly. Other indispensable performances, such as the on–off ratio, threshold voltage, device process and test, etc., are also presented and discussed.