Grant: Strategic Projects Supplemental Competition

Electronic circuits based on just a few molecules hold the promise of advancing today's miniaturized silicon-based electronics to smaller, faster and more densely packed electronic components. Although commercial applications of these materials are starting to emerge, there are still many problems to overcome before these materials make an impact on our everyday lives. The objective of this proposal is to partner academic researchers at Brock University together with the organic electronics group at the Xerox Research Centre of Canada to take the lead to investigate a particular class of new organic molecules for their use as the semiconductor components in tiny electronic transistor devices. This collaboration will involve the preparation and screening of a range of organosulfur molecules with semiconducting properties, followed by the fabrication of a tiny organic thin film transistor (OTFT) devices comprising of these molecules. These devices will then be studied and modified to make them as efficient as possible for a particular application. This project is interdisciplinary in nature and success is dependent on close collaborations between researchers at both Brock University and the Xerox Research Centre of Canada. The fabrication process for the preparation of tiny electronic devices has already been developed at Xerox. This process must be low cost and the device must be stable and reliable during the course of its expected lifetime. Within the next decade organic semiconductors will be major components in rollable displays, printed transistors, memory, solar energy panels, signage, smart packaging, labels and much more. This proposal is novel since organosulfur donors have not yet been exploited for this particular application. The research has significant potential to strengthen Canada's industrial base, generate wealth, create employment and increase the number of highly qualified personnel in the area of nanotechnology and computing, as well as advanced materials and devices.