Controlling charge injection in organic electronic devices using self-assembled monolayers

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 71; no. 24; pp. 3528 - 3530
• Main Authors: Campbell, I. H., Kress, J. D., Martin, R. L., Smith, D. L., Barashkov, N. N., Ferraris, J. P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15-12-1997
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.120381

We demonstrate control and improvement of charge injection in organic electronic devices by utilizing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to manipulate the Schottky energy barrier between a metal electrode and the organic electronic material. Hole injection from Cu electrodes into the electroluminescent conjugated polymer poly[2-methoxy,5-(2′-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene vinylene] was varied by using two conjugated-thiol based SAMs. The chemically modified electrodes were incorporated in organic diode structures and changes in the metal/polymer Schottky energy barriers and current–voltage characteristics were measured. Decreasing (increasing) the Schottky energy barrier improves (degrades) charge injection into the polymer.