Amine Detection Using Organic Field Effect Transistor Gas Sensors

Low power gas sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity are desired for many practical ap-plications. Devices based on organic field effect transistors are promising because they can be fabricated at modest cost and are low power devices. Organic field effect transistors fabricated in bottom-gate bottom-contact configuration using the organic semiconductor [2,5-(2-octyldodecyl)- 3,6-diketopyrrolopyrrole -alt-5,5-(2,5-di(thien-2-yl)thieno ] [3,2-b ]thiophene) (DPP-T-TT) were systematically investigated to determine the response characteristics to a series of alkylamines and ammonia. The highest sensitivity was to dibutylamine with a limit of detection of 0.025 ppb, followed by n-butylamine, 0.056 ppb, and ammonia, 2.17 ppb. A model was constructed based on the Antoine equation that successfully allows the empirical prediction of the sensitivity and se-lectivity of the gas sensor to various analytes including amines and alcohols based on the Antoine C parameter and the heat of the vaporization of the analyte.