Strain effects on the work function of an organic semiconductor

Yanfei Wu, Annabel R. Chew, Geoffrey A. Rojas, Gjergji Sini, Greg Haugstad, Alex Belianinov, Sergei V. Kalinin, Hong Li, Chad Risko, Jean-Luc Brédas, Alberto Salleo and C. Daniel Frisbie ()
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Yanfei Wu: University of Minnesota
Annabel R. Chew: Stanford University
Geoffrey A. Rojas: University of Minnesota
Gjergji Sini: Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Polymères et des Interfaces, Université de Cergy-Pontoise
Greg Haugstad: Characterization Facility, University of Minnesota
Alex Belianinov: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Sergei V. Kalinin: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Hong Li: School of Chemistry and Biochemistry & Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics, Georgia Institute of Technology
Chad Risko: University of Kentucky
Jean-Luc Brédas: Solar & Photovoltaics Engineering Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
Alberto Salleo: Stanford University
C. Daniel Frisbie: University of Minnesota

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Establishing fundamental relationships between strain and work function (WF) in organic semiconductors is important not only for understanding electrical properties of organic thin films, which are subject to both intrinsic and extrinsic strains, but also for developing flexible electronic devices. Here we investigate tensile and compressive strain effects on the WF of rubrene single crystals. Mechanical strain induced by thermal expansion mismatch between the substrate and rubrene is quantified by X-ray diffraction. The corresponding WF change is measured by scanning Kelvin probe microscopy. The WF of rubrene increases (decreases) significantly with in-plane tensile (compressive) strain, which agrees qualitatively with density functional theory calculations. An elastic-to-plastic transition, characterized by a steep rise of the WF, occurs at ∼0.05% tensile strain along the rubrene π-stacking direction. The results provide the first concrete link between mechanical strain and WF of an organic semiconductor and have important implications for understanding the connection between structural and electronic disorder in soft organic electronic materials.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10270

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