Acceptor Unit Effects for Ambipolar Organic Field-Effect Transistors Based on TIPS-Benzodithiophene Copolymers

Two narrow band gap triisopropylsilyl substituted benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b] dithiophene (TIPS-BDT) derivatives, P1 (1.65 eV) and P2 (1.46 eV) are synthesized for ambipolar organic field-effect transistors and complementary inverters. Two electron acceptor units, heptadecanyl substituted thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (TPD) and ethylhexyl substituted diketopyrrolo[3,4-c]pyrrole (DPP) are incorporated to tune the structure and resulting properties of the donor-acceptor type copolymers. Structural modification based on the acceptor unit variation, resulted in comparable electrochemical, optical, microstructural, and charge transporting properties, as well as environmental and operational stability. TIPS-BDT copolymers with TPD acceptor units show comparatively superior performance, with field effect mobility ∼10^-3 cm²V^-1s^-1 for both holes and electrons and inverter gain ∼18 with poly(methyl methacrylate) gate dielectric. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].