Charge depletion in organic heterojunction

Until now two types of organic-organic heterojunction (OHJ) have been observed in P-N junctions formed between undoped-organic semiconductors. Charge-transfers across OHJs are either negligible or showing electron transfer from P-type to N-type materials, leading to charges accumulation near the interface. Here, we observed that junction of 4,4′,4″-tris(2- methylphenyl-phenylamino)triphenylamine (m-MTDATA)/bathocuproine (BCP) show the third-behavior. Electrons in BCP (N-type) transfer to m-MTDATA (P-type), leading to depletion of mobile majority carriers near the junction. While depletion junctions are typical in inorganic semiconductors, there are no reports in undoped-OHJ. Formation mechanism of depletion OHJs and fundamental differences between inorganic and organic HJs are discussed. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.