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Reviving the “Schottky” Barrier for Flexible Polymer Dielectrics with a Superior 2D Nanoassembly Coating
Author(s) -
Zhang Boya,
Liu Jingjing,
Ren Ming,
Wu Chao,
Moran Thomas J.,
Zeng Songshan,
Chavez Sonia E.,
Hou Zaili,
Li Zongze,
LaChance Anna Marie,
Jow T. Richard,
Huey Bryan D.,
Cao Yang,
Sun Luyi
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.202101374
Subject(s) - materials science , schottky barrier , kapton , nanotechnology , schottky diode , optoelectronics , dielectric , organic electronics , coating , polymer , transistor , composite material , electrical engineering , layer (electronics) , polyimide , diode , engineering , voltage
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.