Three novel organic semiconductors based on fluorinated perylene diimides were synthesized through the nucleophilic reactions between 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTDA) and fluorinated anilines. The chemical structures were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR and UV-Vis absorption. The aggregate structures in thin films were investigated carefully by controlling experimental conditions such as substrate temperature and annealing. It was found that fluorination, as well as the substrate temperature, would influence the aggregate structure when fluorine atoms were introduced into different positions of the molecule. Thin film transistors (TFT) using a top-contact geometry were fabricated by vapor-deposition of these perylene diimide derivatives as the semiconductive channel on surface treated SiO₂/Si substrates. TFT with fluorinated perylene diimide derivatives showed much better air-stability than that with their parent compound.

Key words: fluorinated perylene diimide, aggregate structure, electron transport