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.