Shear‐Free Static Micro‐Inclined Film Formation (SMICFF): Gravity and Marangoni‐Driven Fabrication of High‐Performance Organic Semiconductors
Abstract The advancement of organic electronics necessitates innovative film formation technologies to address challenges in crystallinity control, uniformity, and reproducibility. This study introduces static micro‐inclined film formation (SMICFF), a novel technique inspired by natural fluid dynamics, to fabricate high‐performance organic semiconductor thin films. By leveraging gravity and Marangoni flow, SMICFF enables precise control over molecular alignment and film uniformity, eliminating the need for external shear forces. Using two model materials poly(3,3′‐difluoro‐5,5″″‐dimethyl‐3″,4″″‐bis(2‐octyldodecyl)‐2,2′:5′,2″:5″,2″′:5″′,2″″‐quinquethiophene) (P5TCN‐2F) and low‐solubility poly(4‐(3‐(3‐decylpentadecyl)‐3″,4′‐difluoro‐5″‐methyl‐[2,2′:5′,2″‐terthiophen]‐5‐yl)‐7‐(4‐(3‐decylpentadecyl)‐5‐methylthiophen‐2‐yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole‐5,6‐dicarbonitrile) (PDCBT‐DP2F), SMICFF‐produced films achieved carrier mobilities of 2.41 cm 2 /V s and 0.31 cm 2 /V s, respectively, representing over 5‐fold enhancements compared to blade‐coated, bar‐coated, and drop‐cast counterparts. Statistical analysis revealed Gaussian‐distributed device parameters with reduced batch‐to‐batch variability, underscoring SMICFF′s inherent optimization capability. The technique′s compatibility with high‐surface‐tension systems is demonstrated through solvent screening and temperature‐controlled evaporation protocols. These findings establish SMICFF as a robust platform for the rapid evaluation of materials and the high‐throughput fabrication of flexible electronics, overcoming the critical limitations of traditional solution‐processing methods.
Authors
- Jian Deng (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8210-9154)
- Zengqi Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0826-840X)
- Chunhui Duan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6521-2149)
- Kangzhe Liu
- Shaohua Tong
- Yuguang Ma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0373-5873)
- Liqun Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1530-9775)
- Ding Tang
- Xiyue Yuan
Institutions
- Guangzhou Experimental Station (CN)
- South China University of Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Published
- 2025-06-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202506218
- Primary Topic
- Nanofabrication and Lithography Techniques
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Guangdong Innovative and Entrepreneurial Research Team Program
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology
- Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation of Guangdong Province