Grant: Strategic Projects Supplemental Competition

Electronic circuits based on just a few molecules hold the promise of advancing today's miniaturizedsilicon-based electronics to smaller, faster and more densely packed electronic components. Althoughcommercial applications of these materials are starting to emerge, there are still many problems to overcomebefore these materials make an impact on our everyday lives. The objective of this proposal is to partneracademic researchers at Brock University together with the organic electronics group at the Xerox ResearchCentre of Canada to take the lead to investigate a particular class of new organic molecules for their use as thesemiconductor components in tiny electronic transistor devices. This collaboration will involve the preparationand screening of a range of organosulfur molecules with semiconducting properties, followed by the fabricationof a tiny organic thin film transistor (OTFT) devices comprising of these molecules. These devices will then bestudied and modified to make them as efficient as possible for a particular application. This project isinterdisciplinary in nature and success is dependent on close collaborations between researchers at both BrockUniversity and the Xerox Research Centre of Canada. The fabrication process for the preparation of tinyelectronic devices has already been developed at Xerox. This process must be low cost and the device must bestable and reliable during the course of its expected lifetime. Within the next decade organic semiconductorswill be major components in rollable displays, printed transistors, memory, solar energy panels, signage, smartpackaging, labels and much more. This proposal is novel since organosulfur donors have not yet been exploitedfor 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 ofnanotechnology and computing, as well as advanced materials and devices.