Large-Size Single-Crystal Oligothiophene-Based Monolayers for Field-Effect Transistors

High structural quality of crystalline organic semiconductors is the basis of their superior electrical performance. Recent progress in quasi two-dimensional (2D) organic semiconductor films challenges bulk single crystals because both demonstrate competing charge-carrier mobilities. As the thinnest molecular semiconductors, monolayers offer numerous advantages such as unmatched flexibility and light transparency as well  they are an excellent platform for sensing. Oligothiophene-based materials are among the most promising ones for light-emitting applications because of the combination of efficient luminescence and decent charge-carrier mobility. Here, we demonstrate single-crystal monolayers of unprecedented structural order grown from four alkyl-substituted thiophene and thiophene–phenylene oligomers. The monolayer crystals with lateral dimensions up to 3 mm were grown from the solution on substrates with various surface energies and roughness by drop or spin-casting with subsequent slow solvent evapor...