This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This research project will study the fundamental behavior of new devices made to study organic semiconductors using a newly discovered process called orthogonal lithography. Organic semiconductors used in thin, flexible electronic circuits offer the possibility of creating low cost electronics that will provide new intelligent capabilities to everyday items. An example of this might be a smart bandage, a wound covering that can sense healing, communicate to medical staff and possibly release antibiotics. Orthogonal lithography, a breakthrough fabrication process for organic electronic materials that was discovered at Cornell University involves the use of patterning materials soluble in environmentally safe fluorine containing solvents. Orthogonal lithography will be used to make complex, multilayer organic semiconductor devices not possible by other means. We expect a range of new materials, processes and possibly industries will be developed. The resulting transferable skills will be shared between Cornell and our partners at Cambridge University during exchange visits of individual coworkers. Participating students and other researchers will not only take part in globally leading research, but through interactions with our UK partners, will be exposed to the transfer of science to the marketplace.
This project aims to leverage orthogonal lithography to create unique device architectures that will elucidate the fundamentals of organic electronic materials. Key research opportunities such as the ability to probe charge transport in a single crystalline domain of a conjugated polymer will be the focus of the proposed research. The project combines the complementary skills of the Cornell Materials and the Cambridge Organic Electronics groups in a study that will elucidate vital aspects of organic semiconductor physics and advance organic patterning science. The significance of the proposed research is that if successful we have the opportunity to better understand charge generation, injection, transport, and recombination in organic materials as well as to achieve organic semiconductor device properties and features that are presently inaccessible. The planned research benefits from the complementary skills of this experienced international team in which the group at Cornell will provide expertise in the both the development of sophisticated resists and processes for the benign patterning of organics, and in precision materials characterization, while the Cambridge group will bring to the collaboration their exceptional device physics capabilities. The PIs will conduct outreach to high school girls and particularly their teachers, as this greatly increases its impact. Finally, industry has shown interest in the anticipated discoveries coming from this research.
