ABSTRACT

We introduce here the use of thin films and single crystals of

organic molecules in field-effect transistors (FETs) and survey

recent progress in organic-based FETs, with special emphasis on the

excellent p-channel FET characteristics obtainable with thin films

and single crystals of phenacene. The highest-reported field-effect

mobility, μ, in an organic thin-film FET is 21 cm2 V−1 s−1 at room temperature [1] in an FET based on a thin film of alkyl-substituted

picene. Such a high μ value offers promise of practical applications

for organic FETs. This chapter is based on the PhD thesis of Dr.

Xuexia He of our research group [2] and our recent papers on

organic FETs [3-20]. Organic FETs based on phenacene are used to

illustrate typical FET characteristics in this chapter, and the active

research concerning such FETs is fully reported in our recent review

article [21].