A hidden bulk polymorph governs charge transport dimensionality in an organic semiconductor

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zuffa, Caterina, Bardini, Marco, Gasser, Fabian, Sevilla, Mauricio, Cortes-Huerto, Robinson, Greco, Alessandro, Soprani, Lorenzo, Wen, Guanzhao, Geuchies, Jaco J., Bonn, Mischa, D'Avino, Gabriele, Maini, Lucia, Wang, Hai I., Di Virgilio, Lucia
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Zuffa, Caterina
Bardini, Marco
Gasser, Fabian
Sevilla, Mauricio
Cortes-Huerto, Robinson
Greco, Alessandro
Soprani, Lorenzo
Wen, Guanzhao
Geuchies, Jaco J.
Bonn, Mischa
D'Avino, Gabriele
Maini, Lucia
Wang, Hai I.
Di Virgilio, Lucia
author_facet Zuffa, Caterina
Bardini, Marco
Gasser, Fabian
Sevilla, Mauricio
Cortes-Huerto, Robinson
Greco, Alessandro
Soprani, Lorenzo
Wen, Guanzhao
Geuchies, Jaco J.
Bonn, Mischa
D'Avino, Gabriele
Maini, Lucia
Wang, Hai I.
Di Virgilio, Lucia
contents Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are widely explored for flexible optoelectronic technologies, with performance governed not only by molecular design, but also by solid-state packing, which can give rise to polymorphism. Dinaphthothienothiophene (DNTT) is a benchmark OSC that has long been considered monomorphic. Here, we discover, isolate, and resolve the crystal structure of a previously unrecognised bulk polymorph of DNTT, termed blue DNTT owing to its characteristic blue emission. Coexisting with the well-known (green) DNTT in commercial powders, yet previously overlooked, blue DNTT represents the thermodynamically stable form. By combining X-ray diffraction, Raman, and THz spectroscopy with simulations, we demonstrate that polymorphism in DNTT reshapes the low-frequency phonon landscape and transfer-integral network, impacting charge transport. While green DNTT exhibits two-dimensional charge transport with holes more mobile than electrons, blue DNTT shows charge transport along all crystallographic directions enabled by a distinct herringbone packing. Electron mobility along the crystallographic a and b-axes in blue DNTT exceeds twice the hole mobility in the green phase. To our knowledge, this is the first reported acene-based semiconductor exhibiting three-dimensional charge transport. Polymorphism emerges as a key lever to tune charge transport dimensionality and carrier efficiency in organic semiconductors.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2605_01049
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A hidden bulk polymorph governs charge transport dimensionality in an organic semiconductor
Zuffa, Caterina
Bardini, Marco
Gasser, Fabian
Sevilla, Mauricio
Cortes-Huerto, Robinson
Greco, Alessandro
Soprani, Lorenzo
Wen, Guanzhao
Geuchies, Jaco J.
Bonn, Mischa
D'Avino, Gabriele
Maini, Lucia
Wang, Hai I.
Di Virgilio, Lucia
Materials Science
Organic semiconductors (OSCs) are widely explored for flexible optoelectronic technologies, with performance governed not only by molecular design, but also by solid-state packing, which can give rise to polymorphism. Dinaphthothienothiophene (DNTT) is a benchmark OSC that has long been considered monomorphic. Here, we discover, isolate, and resolve the crystal structure of a previously unrecognised bulk polymorph of DNTT, termed blue DNTT owing to its characteristic blue emission. Coexisting with the well-known (green) DNTT in commercial powders, yet previously overlooked, blue DNTT represents the thermodynamically stable form. By combining X-ray diffraction, Raman, and THz spectroscopy with simulations, we demonstrate that polymorphism in DNTT reshapes the low-frequency phonon landscape and transfer-integral network, impacting charge transport. While green DNTT exhibits two-dimensional charge transport with holes more mobile than electrons, blue DNTT shows charge transport along all crystallographic directions enabled by a distinct herringbone packing. Electron mobility along the crystallographic a and b-axes in blue DNTT exceeds twice the hole mobility in the green phase. To our knowledge, this is the first reported acene-based semiconductor exhibiting three-dimensional charge transport. Polymorphism emerges as a key lever to tune charge transport dimensionality and carrier efficiency in organic semiconductors.
title A hidden bulk polymorph governs charge transport dimensionality in an organic semiconductor
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.01049