Organic thin-film transistor backplane with multi-layer contact structures and data lines

Abstract

A backplane circuit includes an array of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), each OTFT including a source contact, a drain contact, and an organic semiconductor region extending between the source and drain contacts. The drain contacts in each row are connected to an address line. The source and drain contacts and the address lines are fabricated using a multi-layer structure including a relatively thick base portion formed of a relatively inexpensive metal (e.g., aluminum or copper), and a relatively thin contact layer formed of a high work function, low oxidation metal (e.g., gold) that exhibits good electrical contact to the organic semiconductor, is formed opposite at least one external surface of the base, and is located at least partially in an interface region where the organic semiconductor contacts an underlying dielectric layer.