journal article·2026-02-16Open access

Sub-1V, flexible, all-polymer complementary logic circuits based on electrolyte-gated transistors

Su Jung Kim, Dong Hyun Park, Yu Na Lee, Min Su Kim, Kihyon Hong, Kyung Gook Cho, C. Daniel Frisbie, Keun Hyung Lee

npj Flexible Electronics· Volume 10· Issue 1

Abstract

Electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) are typically limited to p-type operation, with stable n-type devices remaining scarce. In this study, we demonstrate high-performance n-type EGTs using a poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL) polymer semiconductor gated by ionogel electrolytes. Electrochemical doping in BBL induces ion pathways in amorphous regions during initial doping, facilitating efficient electron transport. This yields exceptional device performance, including a geometry-normalized transconductance of 4.6 S cm−1, an ON/OFF ratio of ≈105, a product of electron mobility and volumetric capacitance (μC* ≈ 16.4 F cm–1 V–1 s–1), and minimal hysteresis (<0.1 V). These features surpass most reported n-type EGTs, demonstrating the importance of ion-driven electrochemical doping in BBL. Furthermore, we not only fabricate all-polymer complementary inverters, NAND, and NOR gates but also demonstrate flexible circuits by integrating n-type BBL and p-type polythiophene EGTs.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Conducting polymers and applications · Organic Electronics and Photovoltaics · Supercapacitor Materials and Fabrication

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