journal article·2021-08

Reviving the “Schottky” Barrier for Flexible Polymer Dielectrics with a Superior 2D Nanoassembly Coating

Boya Zhang, Jingjing Liu, Ming Ren, Chao Wu, Thomas J. Moran, Songshan Zeng, Sonia E. Chavez, Zaili Hou, Zongze Li, Anna Marie LaChance, T. Richard Jow, Bryan D. Huey, Yang Cao, Luyi Sun

Advanced Materials· Volume 33· Issue 34
Publisher page

Abstract

Abstract The organic insulator–metal interface is the most important junction in flexible electronics. The strong band offset of organic insulators over the Fermi level of electrodes should theoretically impart a sufficient impediment for charge injection known as the Schottky barrier. However, defect formation through Anderson localization due to topological disorder in polymers leads to reduced barriers and hence cumbersome devices. A facile nanocoating comprising hundreds of highly oriented organic/inorganic alternating nanolayers is self‐coassembled on the surface of polymer films to revive the Schottky barrier. Carrier injection over the enhanced barrier is further shunted by anisotropic 2D conduction. This new interface engineering strategy allows a significant elevation of the operating field for organic insulators by 45% and a 7× improvement in discharge efficiency for Kapton at 150 °C. This superior 2D nanocoating thus provides a defect‐tolerant approach for effective reviving of the Schottky barrier, one century after its discovery, broadly applicable for flexible electronics.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials · Dielectric materials and actuators · Conducting polymers and applications

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Electrical Insulation Research Center, Institute of Materials Science University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA

Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA

Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Connecticut Storrs CT 06269 USA

U.S. Army Research Laboratory Adelphi MD 20783 USA

Funding

National Science Foundation · Office of Naval Research · Army Research Laboratory

References (44)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1038/nature0249810.1038/nature02498 ↗
2. 10.1038/nmat375910.1038/nmat3759 ↗
3. 10.1038/nature1231410.1038/nature12314 ↗
4. 10.1038/nature2549410.1038/nature25494 ↗
5. 10.1038/nmat229110.1038/nmat2291 ↗
6. 10.1002/adma.20160037710.1002/adma.201600377 ↗
7. 10.1002/adma.20200049910.1002/adma.202000499 ↗
8. 10.1038/nature1464710.1038/nature14647 ↗
9. 10.1109/TDEI.2004.134978510.1109/TDEI.2004.1349785 ↗
10. 10.1109/MEI.2009.519141310.1109/MEI.2009.5191413 ↗
11. 10.1063/1.178636410.1063/1.1786364 ↗
12. 10.1002/aenm.20160067610.1002/aenm.201600676 ↗
13. 10.1109/TNANO.2016.255317910.1109/TNANO.2016.2553179 ↗
14. 10.1002/(SICI)1521-4095(199906)11:8<605::AID-ADMA605>3.0.CO;2-Q10.1002/(SICI)1521-4095(199906)11:8<605::AID-ADMA605>3.0.CO;2-Q ↗
15. 10.1063/1.33764610.1063/1.337646 ↗
16. Fahlman M. · Nat. Rev. · 2019 · 4 · 627
17. 10.1016/j.nanoen.2020.10540610.1016/j.nanoen.2020.105406 ↗
18. 10.1007/s40820-021-00603-910.1007/s40820-021-00603-9 ↗
19. 10.1049/PBED009E10.1049/PBED009E ↗
20. 10.1063/1.32751110.1063/1.327511 ↗
21. 10.1088/0022-3727/39/7/01410.1088/0022-3727/39/7/014 ↗
22. Coelho R. · 1974
23. 10.1038/nature2013310.1038/nature20133 ↗
24. 10.1038/s41563-018-0022-810.1038/s41563-018-0022-8 ↗
25. 10.1002/adma.20200271610.1002/adma.202002716 ↗
26. 10.1002/adma.20170186410.1002/adma.201701864 ↗
27. 10.1002/adma.20180567210.1002/adma.201805672 ↗
28. 10.1002/adma.20170636410.1002/adma.201706364 ↗
29. 10.1126/sciadv.170121210.1126/sciadv.1701212 ↗
30. 10.1126/science.111699410.1126/science.1116994 ↗
31. 10.1098/rspb.1977.005010.1098/rspb.1977.0050 ↗
32. G. C.Lichtenburg De nova methodo naturam ac motum fluidi electrici investigandi. (On a new method of investigating nature and motion of the electric fluid.) Comm. Soc. Goett.1778 8(ad annum 1777) 168–180 and17791(ad annum 1778) 65–79.
33. 10.1016/0304-3886(79)90020-210.1016/0304-3886(79)90020-2 ↗
34. 10.1002/adma.20130347010.1002/adma.201303470 ↗
35. 10.1109/TPS.2002.80531810.1109/TPS.2002.805318 ↗
36. 10.1002/adma.20180607010.1002/adma.201806070 ↗
37. 10.1002/adma.20160329110.1002/adma.201603291 ↗
38. 10.1002/aenm.20190182610.1002/aenm.201901826 ↗
39. 10.1021/acsami.5b0509210.1021/acsami.5b05092 ↗
40. 10.1063/1.356969610.1063/1.3569696 ↗
41. 10.1002/1521-4095(200111)13:21<1641::AID-ADMA1641>3.0.CO;2-P10.1002/1521-4095(200111)13:21<1641::AID-ADMA1641>3.0.CO;2-P ↗
42. 10.1007/BFb004891810.1007/BFb0048918 ↗
43. 10.1103/PhysRev.38.4510.1103/PhysRev.38.45 ↗
44. Moran T. J. · J. Am. Ceram. Soc.