Organic thin film transistor and method of manufacturing the same

• US 7,329,897 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Iwasa, Yoshihiro, Kobayashi, Shinichiro, Shimoda, Tatsuya, Nishikawa, Takao, Takenobu, Taishi, Mitani, Tadaoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Parker; Kenneth
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, JOSEPH H
• Application Number:
  US10/882,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20050032268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 257/40, 257/E39.002, 257/E21.261, 257/E51.005, 257/57, 438/149, 438/151, 438/158, 438/161, 438/197
• US Class Current: 257/40
• 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 10/466 Lateral bottom-gate IGFETs comprising only a single gate
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 10/468 characterised by the gate dielectrics
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/211 Fullerenes, e.g. C60
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/615 Polycyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g. anthracene

Abstract

An organic thin film transistor and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The transistor has a threshold voltage that can be easily controlled without changing the material forming an organic semiconductor film. The organic thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an organic semiconductor film. A threshold voltage controlling film is provided between the gate insulating film and the organic semiconductor film.

Claims

1. An organic thin film transistor comprising:

a gate electrode;

a gate insulating film that is formed on the gate electrode;

a source electrode that is formed on the gate insulating film and that contacts the gate insulating film;

a drain electrode that is formed on the gate insulating film and that contacts the gate insulating film, wherein each of the source and drain electrodes includes inner and outer ends;

a threshold voltage controlling film that is formed on the gate insulating film, that contacts the gate insulating film, and that is located entirely between the inner ends of the source electrode and the drain electrode; and

an organic semiconductor film that is formed on the threshold voltage controlling film and that is located between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

2. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 1 wherein a thickness of the threshold voltage controlling film is less than or equal to 3 nm.

3. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 1 wherein the threshold voltage controlling film is chemically absorbed by at least one of the gate insulating film and the organic semiconductor film.

4. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 1 wherein the threshold voltage controlling film is formed from a silane compound.

5. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 4 wherein the silane compound includes at least one of a trifluoromethyl group and an amino group.

6. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 5 wherein the at least one of the trifluoromethyl group and the amino group is selectively added to the silane compound to one of increase and decrease a threshold voltage of the organic thin film transistor.

7. The organic thin film transistor according to claim 1 wherein the organic semiconductor film is formed from at least one substance selected from organic low molecular weight materials, organic high molecular weight materials, metal complexes, fullerene materials, and carbon nanotubes.

8. A method of manufacturing an organic thin film transistor comprising:

forming a gate electrode;

forming a gate insulating film on the gate electrode;

forming a source electrode on the gate insulating film and in contact with the gate insulating film;

forming a drain electrode on the gate insulating film and in contact with the gate insulating film, wherein each of the source and drain electrodes includes inner and outer ends;

forming a threshold voltage controlling film on the gate insulating film, in contact with the gate insulating film, and located entirely between the inner ends of the source electrode and the drain electrode; and

forming an organic semiconductor film on the threshold voltage controlling film and located between the source electrode and the drain electrode.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a thickness of the threshold voltage controlling film is less than or equal to 3 nm.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the threshold voltage controlling film is formed from a compound with a functional group capable of being chemically absorbed by at least one of the gate insulating film and the organic semiconductor film.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the threshold voltage controlling film is formed from a silane compound.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the silane compound includes at least one of a trifluoromethyl group and an amino group.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one of the trifluoromethyl group and the amino group is selectively added to the silane compound to one of increase and decrease a threshold voltage of the organic thin film transistor.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the organic semiconductor film is formed from at least one substance selected from organic low molecular weight materials, organic high molecular weight materials, metal complexes, fullerene materials, and carbon nanotubes.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step of carrying out a hydrophilic treatment on at least a base surface for the threshold voltage controlling film before the threshold voltage controlling film is formed.