Method of creating a high performance organic semiconductor device

• US 6,784,017 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2002
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Precision Dynamics Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Precision Dynamics Corporation (Brady Corporation)
• Inventors: Ma, Liping, Yang, Yang, Beigel, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ISAAC, STANETTA D
• Application Number:
  US10/218,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20040033641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 438/82, 438/99, 438/149, 438/167, 438/169, 438/378, 438/570-571, 438/597, 438/623, 438/660-663, 438/666, 438/687-688, 438/780-781, 738/795
• US Class Current: 438/99
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/23 Schottky diodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/462 Insulated gate field-effect transistors [IGFETs]
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/464 Lateral top-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/81 Anodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/813 characterised by their shape
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/82 Cathodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/40 Thermal treatment, e.g. annealing in the presence of a solvent vapour
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 71/60 Forming conductive regions or layers, e.g. electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/111 comprising aromatic, heteroaromatic, or aryl chains, e.g. polyaniline, polyphenylene or polyphenylene vinylene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/113 Heteroaromatic compounds comprising sulfur or selene, e.g. polythiophene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/1135 Polyethylene dioxythiophene [PEDOT]; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/114 Poly-phenylenevinylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/143 Polyacetylene; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/154 Ladder-type polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/211 Fullerenes, e.g. C60
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/30 Coordination compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/311 Phthalocyanine
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/324 comprising aluminium, e.g. Alq3
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/60 Organic compounds having low molecular weight H10K85/10 - H10K85/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/611 : Charge transfer complexes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/615 : Polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g. anthracene
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/631 : Amine compounds having at least two aryl rest on at least one amine-nitrogen atom, e.g. triphenylamine

Abstract

A high temperature thermal annealing process creates a low resistance contact between a metal material and an organic material of an organic semiconductor device, which improves the efficiency of carrier injection. The process forms ohmic contacts and Schottky contacts. Additionally, the process may cause metal ions or atoms to migrate or diffuse into the organic material, cause the organic material to crystallize, or both. The resulting organic semiconductor device has enhanced operating characteristics such as faster speeds of operation. Instead of using heat, the process may use other forms of energy, such as voltage, current, electromagnetic radiation energy for localized heating, infrared energy and ultraviolet energy. An example enhanced organic diode comprising aluminum, carbon C₆₀, and copper is described, as well as example insulated gate field effect transistors.

Claims

1. A method of forming a low resistance contact between a metal material and an organic material of a fabricated organic semiconductor device, the method comprising:

subjecting the fabricated organic semiconductor device to a temperature higher than 60°

C. and sufficient to cause the metal material to diffuse into the organic material to form a low resistance contact between the metal and the organic material of the organic semiconductor device, substantially without melting the organic material; and

cooling the organic semiconductor device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor device is heated in the presence of air.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor device is heated in the presence of a vacuum.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor device is heated in the presence of a gas.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the gas in nitrogen.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the gas is oxygen.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the gas is a gas mixture.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the cooling step is permitting the heated organic semiconductor device to cool down.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the cooling step includes applying a temperature lower than the heating temperature to the organic semiconductor device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal material comprises copper.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal material of the organic semiconductor device includes a first metal material and a second metal material and further wherein the temperature is sufficient to cause the first and second metal materials to diffuse into the organic layer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the second metal material comprises aluminum.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the second metal material includes at least one of aluminum, copper, gold, silver, iron, tin, zinc, nickel, cobalt, chromium, magnesium, titanium, indium, tungsten, platinum, potassium, arsenic, calcium and lithium.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the subjecting step increases the crystallization of the organic material.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic material comprises a fullerene.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the organic material comprises a member of the C₆₀ family.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the organic material comprises a member of the C₇₀ family.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the organic material comprises a member of the C₈₀ family.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic material comprises a compound.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the compound includes a member of the C₆₀ family.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the compound includes a member of the C₇₀ family.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the compound includes a member of the C₈₀ family.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising fabricating the organic semiconductor device with the metal material and the organic material prior to said subjecting step.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the organic material is flexible.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising forming the metal material to be flexible.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising forming a second metal of the organic semiconductor device to be flexible.

27. The method of claim 23 further comprising printing the organic material of the organic semiconductor on a substrate.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising depositing the organic material of the organic semiconductor on a substrate.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising forming the organic semiconductor device on a substrate.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate is flexible.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the substrate comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

32. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate is rigid.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the substrate comprises glass, silicon or silicon oxide.

34. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate is transparent.

35. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises a metal.

36. The method of claim 24 wherein the metal material is flexible.

37. The method of claim 35 wherein the metal includes at least one of aluminum, copper, gold, silver, iron, tin, zinc, nickel, cobalt, chromium, magnesium, titanium, indium, tungsten, platinum, potassium, arsenic, calcium and lithium.

38. The method of claim 35 wherein the metal comprises stainless steel.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein the metal comprises an alloy.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein the substrate comprises doped silicon.

41. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate is non-conductive.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the substrate comprises a second organic material.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the substrate comprises a Solgel.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the substrate comprises at least one of polyethylene, polystyrene, PTFE or teflon, polyethylene terephthalate, Kapton and silicon with a polystyrene coating.

45. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate includes an electromagnetic material.

46. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate includes a ferromagnetic material.

47. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate includes a ferroelectric material.

48. The method of claim 29 wherein the substrate comprises an organic film.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the substrate comprises a polymer film.

50. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor device has a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes being formed out of materials having similar work functions.

51. The method of claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor device has a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes being formed out of materials having substantially dissimilar work functions.

52. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming a Schottky junction between the metal material and the organic material.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the metal material is aluminum.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the organic material is a fullerene.

55. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming an ohmic contact between the metal material and the organic material.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein the metal material is copper.

57. The method of claim 55 wherein the organic material is a fullerene.

58. The method of claim 1 wherein the low resistance contact includes an ohmic contact between the organic material and the metal material.

59. The method of claim 1 wherein the low resistance contact includes a Schottky junction between the organic material and the metal material.