Improving the Performance of Polythiophene-based Electronic devices by Controlling the Band Gap in the Presence of Graphene

Abstract

Density functional theory (DFT) and many body perturbation theory at the G$_0$W$_0$ level are employed to study the electronic properties of polythiophene (PT) adsorbed on graphene surface. Analysis of charge density difference shows the substrate-adsorbate interaction leading to a strong physisorption and interfacial electric dipole moment formation. The electrostatic potential displays a -0.19 eV shift in the graphene work function from its initial value of 4.53 eV, as the result of the interaction. The LDA band gap of the polymer does not show any change, however the energy level lineshapes are modified by the orbital hybridization. The interfacial polarization effects on the band gap and levels alignment are investigated within G$_0$W$_0$ level and shows notable reduction of PT band gap compared to that of the isolated chain.