High-performance inverters based on ambipolar organic-inorganic heterojunction thin-film transistors*

Abstract

This work reports on the integration of organic and inorganic semiconductors as heterojunction active layers for high-performance ambipolar transistors and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-like inverters. Pentacene is employed as a p-type organic semiconductor for its stable electrical performance, while the solution-processed scandium (Sc) substituted indium oxide (ScInO) is employed as an n-type inorganic semiconductor. It is observed that by regulating the doping concentration of Sc, the electrical performance of the n-type semiconductor could be well controlled to obtain a balance with the electrical performance of the p-type semiconductor, which is vital for achieving high-performance inverters. When the doping concentration of Sc is 10 at.%, the CMOS-like logic inverters exhibit a voltage gain larger than 80 and a wide noise margin (53% of the theoretical value). The inverters also respond well to the input signal with frequency up to 500 Hz.