Photoswitching of an n-Type Organic Field Effect Transistor by a Reversible Photochromic Reaction in the Dielectric Film

We report on an organic field effect transistor (OFET) with a photochromic dielectric layer, operating as an opto-electrical switch device. The structure contained a photochromic material dissolved in the polymer dielectric layer. The photochromic material was spiropyran exhibiting a large difference of the dipole moments of the stable and metastable forms; poly(methyl methacrylate) was a polymeric insulator; and an n-type perylene derivative was used as the organic semiconductor. Illumination of the structure with UV light resulted in a reversible increase of the source−drain current, accompanied by a reversible decrease of the threshold voltage. The initial parameters were restored by a thermal relaxation in the dark or by illumination with visible light. The photoswitching ratio was found to be dependent on the gate voltage ranging between ca. 2 just above the threshold voltage and ca. 1.3 at the highest voltage employed (90 V). The switching has been attributed to reversible changes of dielectric properties of OFET's insulator (dielectric layer) due to a reversible light-triggered reaction of polar photochromic species, dissolved in the bulk of the dielectric layer. The contribution of dipoles aggregated on the semiconductor−dielectric interface was estimated to be negligible at gate voltages exceeding ca. 10 V.