Exploration of a Cellulose-Based Biocompatible Gate Dielectric for Low-Voltage Organic Transistors

In this work, a cellulose-based biocompatible high-k dielectric cyanoethyl cellulose (CEC) is comprehensively explored for demonstration of low-voltage organic transistors. The organic field-effect transistor (OFET) devices fabricated using a blend of TIPS-pentacene and polystyrene to create the active semiconductor layer exhibited excellent p-channel transistor behavior with the maximum and average process transconductance values of ~9.0 and ~6.0 nF/Vs, respectively,
$I_{\mathrm {on}}/I_{\mathrm {off}}$
of 103, and the average threshold voltage of–0.4 (±0.1) V suitable for sub-5-V operation. Moreover, very high electrical stability was achieved from these devices through bias-stress and repeatability measurements. The device operation was still maintained after six months in normal ambient indicating a high shelf life. Finally, there was a minimal variation in performance upon annealing the devices up to 60 °C, indicating high reliability in harsh environmental operating conditions. Our results confirm that CEC can be a potential gate dielectric for organic and biodegradable electronics, which is essential for sustainability.