Controllable threshold voltage shifts of polymer transistors and inverters by utilizing gold nanoparticles

We have demonstrated controllable threshold voltage (V-th) shifts of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs)/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) based composite transistors that are fabricated through a low temperature facile technique. By varying the doping concentration of gold nanoparticles in P3HT matrix, Vth has been tuned from 12V to 27V without device degradation. Using this technique, the switching voltages of unipolar inverters have also been systematically tuned. Efficient hole conduction and a variation in P3HT crystallinity was observed due to different concentrations of Au NPs which eventually shift the threshold voltage of the devices in a controlled manner. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4737422]