ZnO nanowires and P3HT polymer composite TFT device

Inorganic-organic composite thin-film-transistors (TFTs) of ZnO nanowire/ Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) were investigated by changing the nanowire densities inside the composites. Crystalline ZnO nanowires were synthesized via an aqueous solution method at a low temperature, and the nanowire densities inside the composites were controlled by changing the ultrasonifiaction time. The channel layers were prepared with composites by spin-coating at 2000 rpm, which was followed by annealing in a vacuum at 100 °C for 10 hours. Au/inorganic-organic composite layer/SiO₂ structures were fabricated and the mobility, I_on/I_off ratio, and threshold voltage were then measured to analyze the electrical characteristics of the channel layer. Compared with a P3HT TFT, the electrical properties of TFT were found to be improved after increasing the nanowire density inside the composites. The mobility of the P3HT TFT was approximately 10^-4 cm²/V·s. However, the mobility of the ZnO nanowire /P3HT composite TFT was increased by two orders compared to that of the P3HT TFT. In terms of the I_on/I_off ratio, the composite device showed a two-fold increase compared to that of the P3HT TFT.