Organic Light Emitting Transistors: Future

Perspectives and Recent Developments

Sandeep Kumar Ojha1,2 and Brijesh Kumar1
Department of Electronics and Communication Engg, M.M.M. University of Technology, Gorakhpur (UP)
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, ITM, GIDA, Gorakhpur (UP), India

Abstract- In the worldwide gadgets showcase the organic device geometry, life time and emission efficiency of
hardware is developing to turn into a great significant in OLEDs and OLETs, in spite of the improvements in
the zone of research and development. The empowered
portion of the imaginative items by advancements organic poly materials, their geometry and circuit plan
dependent on organic semiconductors are RFID names, on the basis of architecture. The distinguished feature
adaptable presentations, Solar cells, OLED and OLET- of architectural classifications of OLETs are planar and
based lighting appliances and so on. In this section it is a vertical field‐effect OLET architecture which by
conclusion of the manufacturing and applications of
Organic Light Emitting Transistors (OLETs), In spite of electroluminescence generation to recombine into a
discussion of the scientific view and the technological single structure
features of Organic Light Emitting Transistors (OLETs). Introduction discussed in Section 1, thereafter, Section
The OLEDs and OLETs now a days pay attention on the 2 comprises of the classification of OLETs, whereas,
basis of their architecture, flexibility, light weight and low
cost. The behavior of OLETs is bifunctional in nature ie; Section 3 represents how to enhance the mobility of
the characteristic of those organic materials which materials, Section 4 Working performance of Unipolar
emitting light. The concern of this review paper is to OLET, Section 5 represents some important challenges
know the behavior, classification, various properties and and issues in research and Section 6 synthesis and
performance of the OLETs. During the research what
type of challenges arise in OLET design, efficiency, analysis related to our ‘‘research agenda’’
mobility of organic materials which used in OLETs, the
reliability and potential aspects of OLETs on which we 2. OLETS CLASSIFICATION
will analyze the display technology and sensing
applications of different organic devices.
Keywords: Organic integrated circuits (OICs),) Organic
semiconductors (OSC), Organic light emitting transistor
(OLETs), active‐ matrix organic light‐emitting diodes
displays (AM‐OLEDs) Organic light emitting diodes
(OLEDs).
1. INTRODUCTION
This review paper mostly focused on some operational
mechanism and behavior of solid-state physics related
to organic light‐emitting transistors (OLETs) which
considering of different types of organic Polymers,
oligomers and their transparent structures as well as
characteristics. On the basis of charge carrier
classifications, the OLETs are classified in two parts
either Unipolar or Ambipolar OLETs. The circuit
based architectural planning of gadgets which based on
natural semiconductor materials has developed large
Fig. 1 Classification of OLETS.
interest for researchers to an innovation that empowers
totally new testing items. By increasingly develop 3. OLET RESEARCH: ENHANCEMENT IN THE MOBILITY
science and innovation of organic semiconductors, OF THE MATERIALS
these enormous yield as far as imaginative items is
empowered more and more organic electronic gadgets, Over the most recent 15 years the OLET examine has
been essentially centered around the advancement of
like Organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), organic
new p-type semiconductor materials like Tetracene and
light emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic light emitting Pentacene, enhancements in use of polyatomic
transistors (OLETs), sensors, I PAD and I-Phone etc. materials to improve the value of Ion/off and their charge
Furthermore, took comparative analysis on the basis of bearer portability.
Moreover, in case of a molecular compound the which have fabricated and measured earlier now
molecules are held together by weak Vander Waals showing only a 20% mobility variation from the
forces, whereas the molecular excited states have original 0.35 cm2/V s value, and a very very small
optical properties and which are dominated by variation in the on–off ratio.
excitons, the organic materials are bounded together by TABLE 1 ORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR MOBILITY FOR SOME
weak Vander Waal forces while the inorganic STATE-OF-THE-ART
semiconducting materials are bounded together by
strong covalent bond. The excitons of material can Type Semiconductor Mobility Ref.
hopped from molecule to molecule and in case of
2
polymers from chain to chain respectively. Via cm /vs
hopping the recombination process should be continue
until it generating light. In some certain cases the weak p Solution Processed 1.8 [12]
Pentacene
Vander Waals forces of molecular solids of organic
materials decrease as 1/R6, where R is the p Evaporated 5.5 [12]
intermolecular spacing, while in case of an inorganic Pentacene
semiconductor materials where their covalent bond
falls off as 1/R2. which is shown in the figure 2. p Self-Crystal 40 [6]
This is the reason that, organic electronic materials Pentacene
(OSC) are more soft, feasible and flexible, than the
inorganic semiconductors materials that one are hard, n Evaporated 0.7 [7]
PTCDI-C4F7
rough, brittle, and relatively robust.
n Fullerene 5.1 [12]
C-60

4. WORKING PERFORMANCE OF UNIPOLAR OLET

In case of the BGBC structure of OLET, only

one carrier type either holes or electrons that should be
appear in the channel. Supposed we consider a OLET
which are fully holes biased in a channel. These holes
are tunneling in the channel by the high electric field
influenced drain electrode. The radiative
recombination of electrons and holes are combindly
known as excitons. These excitons which are at highly
excited states formed near the drain electrodes, which
Fig. 2: Difference between vander waals and co-valent forces.
is shown in the figure.3. In future point of view, since
the Gate small area are only utilized during channel
In the above Fig. 2 red line shows---weak vander waals
operation so, we will consider more numbers of Sourse
forces and blue line shows---strong co-valent forces,
and Drain whereas whole portion of Gate with Drain
where r is the intermolecular space. In numerous
and Source should be fully operational. As per
research methodology of the field [1,2], the mobility of
geometry point of view it is classified by single layer
polymeric semiconductors has improved multiple sets
and multilayer OLETs.
of size, from values in the request for 0.003 cm2/V s
Since channel covered by majority of holes
(1990s data) to values just 105 cm2/vs (as per current
and travel through entire length of the channel, so the
data of pentacene) [2,3]. Depending on the degree of
recombination process performed with electrons near
internal ordering. A few variances of cutting-edge
the drain ends and excitons should be also generated
mobility execution for the well-known little atom
here near the drain electrode. Similarly, because of
pentacene, which handled in various ways, are given in
exciton quenching effect where the recombination
Table 1.
process is escaped, which result in weak light
In case of the Unipolar or Ambipolar basic
emission. Organic Integrated circuit (OIC)
operation the pentacene as well as tetracene type of
manufacture, as detailed in [13], investigating by too
organic semiconductor materials are recently more
elective procedures like exchange of printing and
influenced. The electronic gadgets lifetime are fully
utilizing stamps [14–16]. In the field of designing of
depends upon organic semiconductor mater, for this
circuits as well as functional ICs [17] followed by a lot
purpose more emphasized research area is to increase
of research methodology and work criteria to improve
the mobility rating. As per analysis more than one-year
whatever we want to design, the complexity of OLETs
storage at ambient conditions, one of the the OLETs
device circuits dependent on OTFTs. The structures
contain routinely in State-of-Art excess of 1000 mesh smooth=1 space.mult=1.0
transistors [18,19]. x.mesh l= 0.0 spacing=1
x.mesh l=10.0 spacing=1

y.mesh l=-$ITO_thick spacing=0.005

y.mesh l=0.0 spacing=0.005
y.mesh l=$MEH_PPV_thick spacing=0.005
y.mesh l=$total_thick spacing=0.005

region num=1 material=PPV

y.max=$MEH_PPV_thick

elec num=1 name=anode x.min=0

x.max=10.0 y.min=-$ITO_thick \
y.max=0
material=ITO
elec num=2 name=cathode x.min=0
x.max=10.0 y.min=$MEH_PPV_thick \

y.max=$total_thick material=Aluminum
Fig. 3 Schematic Light Emission from Tetracene. doping uniform region=1 conc=1e15 p.type

5. AN IMPORTANT FUTURE OLET RESEARCH # Set parameters for ITO

CHALLENGES: A CIRCUIT DESIGNER’S POINT OF VIEW material material=ITO real.index=1.83

Since we know that in case of OLED, the photometric # Set parameters for MEH-PPV
and radiometric are the two best methodology which material region=1 material=PPV \
practiced more for their designing and manufacturing, eg300=2.1 nc300=2.5e19
but these two practices are not common when we work nv300=2.5e19 permittivity=3.0 \
taun0=1e-9 taup0=1e-9
with OLET. This one is major issue for designing of affinity=2.8 arichn=120 \
OLETs. Normally OLET perform in optoelectronic with rst.exciton=0.5 taus.exciton=1e-9
low-loss light signal transmission. Photonic planar lds.exciton=0.01 \
technology utilizes for the fabrication of OLET with full real.index=1.67
compatibility bright and efficient devices. OLET next
version is active–matrix display technology. The basic # Defining mobility parameters for MEH-
functions during operations are accumulation of positive PPV
mobility region=1 material=PPV
charges, recombination of positive and negative charges
deltaen.pfmob=0.48 deltaep.pfmob=0.48
and emission of light with full of brightness. OLETs are betan.pfmob=3.7e-4 betap.pfmob=3.7e-4
most suitable for sensing technology which built on the mun=0.5e-5 mup=0.5e-4
ground of light emission and current modulation.
# Calcium (Cathode)
Now if we will simulate one of the small OLED contact name=cathode workfunc=2.9
designing for the manufacturing of OLETs with the help
of TCAD Silvaco simulations. The programming are as # ITO (Anode)
follows to analyze the behavior of OLET. contact name=anode workfunc=4.7
TITLE DEVICE CHARACTERISTICS OF MEH-PPV models singlet langevin pfmob print
POLYMER LIGHT EMITTING DIODE
solve init
# Silvaco Inc.,
go atlas probe mag.field max x=5 name="Electric
title Device Characteristics of MEH-PPV Field"
Polymer Light Emitting Diode
output u.langevin u.radiative con.band
# Change the material thickness here val.band
set MEH_PPV_thick=0.0235
set ITO_thick=0.04 # Ramping Vanode to 10V to plot the I-V
set Cathode_thick=0.03 Characteristics
set total_thick=$MEH_PPV_thick + log outfile=organicex01.log
$Cathode_thick
solve vanode=0 vstep=0.05 vfinal=10
name=anode l.wave=0.59
save outfile=organicex01_1.str

# Extracting Current Density versus

Voltage and Electric Field Data

# OLED Surface Area = 10um * 1um = 10

um^2 = 1e-5 mm^2
# Current Density (in mA/mm^2) =
(Simulated current*1e3 mA) / (1e-5mm^2) =
1e8 * Simulated Current
extract name="Currentdensity_vs_voltage"
curve(v."anode", 1e8*i."anode")
outfile="organicex01_1.dat"

# Electric field (in V/m) = 1e2 *

Electric field (in V/cm)
extract name="Currentdensity_vs_Efield"
curve(1e2*probe."Electric Field",
1e8*i."anode") Fig. 5 Characteristics of anode current vs. anode bias.
outfile="organicex01_2.dat"

# Plotting Current Density versus Voltage

and Electric Field Curves
tonyplot organicex01_1.dat
tonyplot organicex01_2.dat -set
organicex01_2.set

# Plotting Luminescent Power Curve

tonyplot organicex01.log -set
organicex01_3.set

# Plotting Langevin Recombination Contour

Plot at 10V
tonyplot organicex01_1.str -set
organicex01_4.set

quit

Fig. 6 Characteristics of luminescent power of MEH-PPV.

Fig. 4 Current Density Versus Electric Field Characteristics of AN

ITO/MEH-PPV/CA Device.

Fig. 7 Recombination rate of MEH-PPV at 10 v anode.

 6. A POSSIBLE RESEARCH AGENDA
Since today all of the flat‐panel display (FPD)
future is out of date and are fully dominated by
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) industry in the version
of active‐matrix liquid‐crystal displays (AM‐ LCDs)
form, but this is not the end. In future active‐ matrix
organic light‐emitting diodes displays (AM‐OLEDs)
should be better options against AM‐LCDs for circuit
integration as well as manufacturing and supply of
organic electronic devices with imagine of anything
simpler, flatter, or lighter. The fabrication of one of the
In-Ga-Zn-O based AM-OLED display at a very high
processing temperature like 350-400 oC. This type of
fabrication at high temperature requires the substrate of
thermally stable plastic, for example oligomers,
polyimide etc; these are too much expensive and have
a minimum value of optical transparency. The
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene
naphthalate (PEN) are the two best examples to
polyimide are at low‐cost and transparent polyester.
Earlier there was only one TFT switch for OLED and
LCD between the data line and the pixel, because no
more such TFT switch was required for the proposed
circuit. But recently the circuit configuration consists
of four TFTs switch, which are utilizes between one
capacitor, and five signal lines. Two TFTs arranged in
the pixel as an inverter circuit, and other two TFTs are
utilized for compose control switches (T4, T5),
respectively. The Selectivity is the key issue with
sensors and can be achieved physically or chemically
by the interaction of the analyte with their
electromagnetic fields, Similarly the kinetically based
selective interaction with the layer utilizing the
(bio)reagents [16].
Muccini et al., great development in OLETs in
2003 (EP 1609195B9; US 8497501B2), In the last
dacade many numbers of organic materials their
geometry and structural solutions developed for
OLEDs, OTFTs, and the OLET technology with its
advance application in manufacturing environment.
The color gamut, geometry, power efficiency, mobility
lifetime, and reliability are the key aspects for all
possible applications concern related to OLETs and
other devices. The non-display applications are work
on the principles of power efficiency, when the OLET
onboard performed its light source in portable analytic
and sensing sets. The device structure and The material
efficiency are the two postulates of the OLET device.
The reliability and its lifetime characteristics which is
shown earlier are key figures for any light‐emitting
technology like OLED, OLET and also much more
critical for organic sensing-based technologies.
6. CONCLUSION
The recent developments stage and architectural
features of OLETs which work on AM-OLED and AM-
OLET application principles are more benefited from
the use of earlier flat‐panel display technology. The
potential of OLETs technology to deploy their power
efficiency, reliability, lifetime and mobility of materials.
The OLET application are mostly to combine an OLET
front plane with another OLET backplane technologies.
This technology has to become a game changer for the
field of active‐matrix displays with its low‐cost a:Si‐
TFT as well as rollable OTFT. On this ground the
potential of OLET technology with proper timing will
of course depends upon the international market
community that will now fully focused to development
programs. In spite of that the recent development of
OLETs technology some interesting research challenges
we got, like mobility (and the thresholds) of the p- and
n-type channel. According to Muccini, the OLET
devices are more competent 100 times than the
equivalent OLED and over 2 times much more
competent than the optimized OLED.
REFERENCES
[1] Klauk H. Organic circuits on flexible substrates. In:
IEDM conference proceedings, 2005. p. 446–9.
[2] Zaumseil J, Sirringhaus H. Electron and ambipolar
transport in organic field-effect transistors. Chem Rev
2007;107:1296–323.
[3] McCulloch I, Heeney M, Bailey C, Genevicius K,
Macdonald I, Shkunov M, et al. Liquid-crystalline
semiconducting polymers with high charge-carrier
mobility. Nat Mater 2006;5:328–33.
[4] Meng H, Sun F, Goldfinger MB, Jaycox GD, Li Z,
Marshall WJ, et al. High-performance, stable organic
thin-film field-effect transistors based on Bis-50-
alkylthiophen-20-yl-2,6-anthracene semiconductors. J
Am Chem Soc 2005;127:2406–7.
[5] Weitz RT, Amsharov K, Zschieschang U, Barrena
Villas E, Goswami DK, Burghard M, et al. Organic n-
channel transistors based on core-cyanated perylene
carboxylic diimide derivatives. J Am Chem Soc
2008;130:4637–45.
[6] Kumaki D, Ando S, Shimono S, Yamashita Y, Umeda
T, Tokitoa S. Significant improvement of electron
mobility in organic thin-film transistors based on
thiazolothiazole derivative by employing self-assembled
monolayer. Appl Phys Lett 2007;90:053506.
[7] Hak Oh J, Liu S, Bao Z, Schmidt R, Wu¨rthnerb F. Air-
stable n-channel organic thin-film transistors with high
 field-effect mobility based on N,N0- 3):89–103.
bis(heptafluorobutyl)-3,4:9,10-perylene diimide. Appl [24] Cantatore E, Meijer EJ. Transistor operation and circuit
Phys Lett 2007;91:212107. performance in organic electronics. In: 29th European solid-
[8] Sirringhaus H, Kawase T, Friend RH, Shimoda T, state circuits conference proceedings 2003. p. 29–36.
Inbasekaran M, Wu W, et al. High-resolution inkjet [25] Anthopoulos TD, Setayesh S, Smits E,Colle M, Cantatore E,
printing of all-polymer transistor circuits. Science de Boer B, et al. Air-stable complementary-like circuits based
on organic ambipolar transistors. Adv Mater 2006;18:1900–4.
2005;290:2123–6.
[26] Steudel S, Myny K, Arkhipov V, Deibel C, De Vusser S,
[9] Sekitani T, Takamiya M, Noguchi Y, Nakano S, Kato Y, Genoe J, et al. 50 MHz rectifier based on an organic diode.
Sakurai T, et al. A large-area wireless power transmission Nat Mater 2005; 4(8):597–600.
sheet using printed organic transistors and plastic MEMS
switches. Nat Mater 2007; 6:413–7. [27] Steudel S, Genoe J, Heremans P. Organic rectifiers reaching
UHF frequencies. MST-News 2007;3(5):41–2.
[10] Noguchi Y, Sekitani T, Someya T. Organic-transistor-based
flexible pressure sensors using ink-jet-printed electrodes and [28] Klauk H, Halik M, Zschieschang U, Eder F, Rohde D, Schmid
gate dielectric layers. Appl Phys Lett 2006;89:253507. G, et al. Flexible organic complementary circuits. IEEE Trans
Electron Dev 2005;52(4):618.
[11] Knobloch A, Manuelli A, Bernds A, Clemens W. Fully
printed integrated circuits from solution processable polymers. [29] Klauk H, Zschieschang U, Pflaum J, Halik M. Ultralow-power
J Appl Phys 2004;96(4):2286. organic complementary circuits. Nature 2007;445:745–8.
[12] Clemens W, Mildner W, Bergbauer B. New high volume [30] Gay N, Fischer W, Halik M, Klauk H, Zschieschang U,
applications with printed RFID and more. MST-News Schmid G. Analog signal processing with organic FETs. In:
2007;3(5):10–2. ISSCC digest of technical papers 2006. p. 1070–9.
[13] Huebler AC, Doetz F, Kempa H, Katz HE, Bartzsch M,
Brandt N, et al. Ring oscillator fabricated completely by
means of mass-printing technologies. Org Electron
2007;8:480–6.
[14] Ofuji M, Lovinger AJ, Kloc C, Siegrist T, Maliakal AJ, Katz
HE. Organic semiconductor designed for lamination transfer
between polymer films. Chem Mater 2005;17:5748–53.
[15] Hines DR, Ballarotto VW, Williams ED, Shao Y, Solin SA.
Transfer printing methods for the fabrication of flexible
organic electronics. J Appl Phys 2007;101:024503.
[16] J. Janata, Principles of Chemical Sensors, 2nd edn,
Springer, 2009
[17] Hart CM, de Leeuw DM, Matters M, Herwig PT, Mutsaerts
CMJ, Drury CJ. Low-cost all-polymer integrated circuits. In:
24th European solid-state circuits conference proceedings
1998.p. 30–4.
[18] Van Lieshout P, van Veenendaal E, Schrijnemakers L,
Gelinck G, Touwslager F, Huitema E. A flexible 240 320-
pixel display with integrated row drivers manufactured in
organic electronics. ISSCC digest of technical papers 2005. p.
578–618.
[19] Cantatore E, Geuns TCT, Gelinck GH, van Veenendaal E,
Gruijthuijsen AFA, Schrijnemakers L, et al. A 13.56-MHz
RFID system based on organic transponders. IEEE J Solid
State Circuits 2007;42:84.
[20] Cantatore E, Hart CM, Digioia M, Gelinck GH, Geuns TCT,
Huitema HEA, et al. In: ISSCC digest of technical papers,
2003. p. 382–501.
[21] Appleyard SFJ, Day SR, Pickford RD, Willis MR. Organic
electro-luminescent devices: enhanced carrier injection using
SAM deriva-tized ITO electrodes. J Mater Chem
2000;10:169–73.
[22] Bharathan JM, Yang Y. Polymer/metal interfaces and the
perfor-mance of polymer light-emitting diodes. J Appl Phys
1998;84(6): 3207–11.
[23] Pfeiffer M, Leo K, Zhou X, Huang JS, Hofmann M, Werner
A, et al. Doped organic semiconductors: physics and
application in light emitting diodes. Org Electron 2003;4(2–