Exploration of Ferroelectric Behavior of Turmeric and Its Integration as a Gate Dielectric in Organic Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

Natural biomaterials have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their intrinsic properties and compatibility with eco-friendly, sustainable electronics. In this study, we report the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of biodegradable turmeric (Curcuma longa) thin films. Using Dual AC Resonance Tracking Piezoelectric Force Microscopy (DART-PFM) analysis, we observed room-temperature spontaneous polarization. Furthermore, switching polarization using an external electric field that is Polarization–electric field (P–E) loop reveals a clear ferroelectric hysteresis with imprint behavior attributed to built-in electric fields within the film, confirming the ferroelectric nature of turmeric. To further confirm the ferroelectric nature, electric displacement (D) vs. electric filed (E) hysteresis curve are conducted which confirm remanent polarization ~ 0.426µC.cm-2. The piezoelectric-like response was corroborated by butterfly amplitude loops and spectroscopy. As a proof-of-concept, turmeric was used as the gate dielectric in an organic field-effect transistor (OFET), yielding promising device performance with a field-effect mobility of 0.35 cm²/Vs and 0.15 V threshold voltage within -2 V operating voltage, comparable to traditional dielectrics such as BaTiO3 and PMMA. These findings suggest turmeric’s potential as a sustainable and efficient gate dielectric for future bio-inspired and eco-friendly electronic applications.