Unveiling the Impact of the Electrolyte's Counter Ions on Organic Electrochemical Transistor Performance

The effect of the electrolyte's counter-ion in organic electrochemical transistors is often neglected. the influence of anions (i.e., counter ions) is investigated on organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) with a PEDOT:PSS-like semiconductor through device simulations. The study examined the effects of mobile anions on OECT performance under two scenarios: when anions are blocked by the semiconductor and when they can penetrate it. In each case, the OECT's ON and OFF states are analyzed. The findings show that when anions can penetrate the semiconductor, the ON/OFF ratio of the OECT remains unchanged while the transconductance significantly increases. In the ON state, the case of blocked anions is observed that the current is predominantly surface-current, whereas it becomes volumetric only when anions can penetrate the semiconductor. Furthermore, the extreme case is explored in which anions remain stationary within the electrolyte. In this scenario, achieving a reasonable ON/OFF ratio necessitates an ion density within the electrolyte that is two orders of magnitude higher than the dopant density of the semiconductor. This work underscores the substantial influence of counter anions on OECT performance, highlighting their critical role in shaping device behavior.