Solution-shear-processed quaterrylene diimide thin-film transistors prepared by pressure-assisted thermal cleavage of swallow tails.

A scalable synthesis of swallow-tailed quaterrylene diimides (STQDIs) and a method for the solution processing of sparingly soluble quaterrylene diimide (QDI) thin films are described. The pressure-assisted thermal cleavage of swallow tails yields crystalline QDI layers with electron mobility up to 0.088 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The developed method opens up a new route toward the solution processing of higher rylene diimides with poor solubility.