Formation of Photoconductive Nanowires of Tetracene Derivative in Composite Thin Film

Nanowires of tetracene dicarboxylic imide disulfide with an N-hexyl substituent (HexylTIDS) were successfully constructed in composite thin film containing poly­(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT). The nanowire structures were investigated by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The photoconductivity of the composite films was evaluated by time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements, revealing that the film containing a 1:1 w/w ratio of HexylTIDS and P3HT exhibited the highest photoconductivity (2.1 × 10–7 m2/(V s)). The intermolecular interactions of HexylTIDS molecules were important in nanowire formation. These results suggest a one-step method for fabricating small-molecule-based nanowires in composite films from a blended solution. This type of composite film, and its fabrication method, will be useful for developing organic thin-film photoelectronic devices.