We report the first organic light-emitting field-effect transistor. The device structure comprises interdigitated gold source and drain electrodes on a Si/SiO(2) substrate. A polycrystalline tetracene thin film is vacuum sublimated on the substrate forming the active layer of the device. Both holes and electrons are injected from the gold contacts into this layer leading to electroluminescence from the tetracene. The output characteristics, transfer characteristics, and the optical emission properties of the device are reported. A possible mechanism for electron injection is suggested.

We report on light emission from a polymeric transistor that utilizes interdigitated source and drain electrodes with channel length of 5 μm in a bottom gate configuration based on a Si/SiO2 substrate. The polymer investigated is poly[9,9-di(ethylhexyl)fluorene] deposited by spin coating from chloroform solution to achieve an active layer thickness of 40 nm. Light emission occurs above drain source voltages of −60 V and the light intensity can be controlled by the gate voltage. Emission occurs close to the drain electrode as determined by optical microscopy. The transistor operates in hole accumulation mode without saturation of the output characteristics.

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We report on light emission on organic thin film transistors of tetracene and polyfluorene (Poly(9,fluorene) (PF2/6)). The utilized transistor structure is a bottom gate configuration with interdigitated source and drain electrodes on a Si/SiO 2 substrate with a channel length of 5 µm. Light emission occurs above a source drain voltage of 30V even if the gate voltage is higher than the drain voltage. The light output can be controlled by the gate voltage. The light emission occurs close to the drain electrode as observed by light microscope images of operating transistors. In order to understand the functional principle of a light emitting transistor a resistor capacitor equivalent circuit model has been utilized to describe charge carrier transport, carrier distribution and the electrical potential distribution in such a device. The model extends the common thin film transistor theory for unipolar charge transport to ambipolar charge transport. Analytical expressions for output and transfer characteristics as well as for the potential and charge carrier distributions are obtained. Further, the effect of contact resistors on the output and transfer characteristics are simulated. The model is used to explain the underlying mechanisms of the present devices. Imperfections on the contact electrodes, most probably due to under-etching of the electrodes are seen as the main reason for the electron injection.