Organic Heterostructures with Dendrimer Based Mixed Layer for Electronic Applications

Abstract

Recently, much research has focused on the search for new mixed donor–acceptor layers for applications in organic electronics. Organic heterostructures with layers based on the generation 1 poly(propylene thiophenoimine) (G1PPT) dendrimer, N,N′-diisopropylnaphthalene diimide (MNDI), and a combination of the two were prepared and their electrical properties were investigated. Single layers of G1PPT and MNDI and a mixed layer (G1PPT:MNDI) were obtained via spin coating on quartz glass, silicon, and glass/ITO substrates, using chloroform as a solvent. The absorption mechanism was investigated, the degree of disorder was estimated, and the emission properties of the layers were highlighted using spectroscopic methods (UV–Vis transmission and photoluminescence). The effects of the concentration and surface topographical particularities on the properties of the layers were analyzed via atomic force microscopy. All of the heterostructures realized with ITO and Au electrodes showed good conduction, with currents of the order of mA. Additionally, the heterostructure with a mixed layer exhibited asymmetry in the current–voltage curve between forward and reverse polarization in the lower range of the applied voltages, which was more significant at increased concentrations and could be correlated with rectifier diode behavior. Consequently, the mixed-layer generation 1 poly(propylene thiophenoimine) dendrimer with N,N′-diisopropylnaphthalene diimide can be considered promising for electronic applications.

Keywords

• organic heterostructure
• dendrimers
• non-fullerene acceptor
• bulk heterojunction