ESR and X-ray diffraction studies on thin films of poly-3-hexylthiophene: Molecular orientation and magnetic interactions

Abstract Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electron spin resonance (ESR) to reveal the film structure and molecular organization. The XRD data showed a diffraction pattern with a plane separation between the planes containing thiophene rings of 16.0 A. Comparison between the XRD patterns of powder and thin films of P3HT suggests that the main chains are folded on the substrate. Angular variation of the line position (g-value) of ESR spectra revealed that thiophene ring of P3HT orients along the substrate normal axis. The ESR linewidth varied by the angular rotation, indicating the one-dimensional spin–chain interactions in the P3HT thin films with a linear network of spin–chains. An organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) with P3HT film as a channel layer was then demonstrated. The P3HT films showed conducting characteristics with holes as carriers. The OTFTs indicated a field-effect mobility of 4.93 × 10− 3 cm2/Vs and an on/off ratio of 73 in the accumulation mode.