PEDOT:PSS-Based Stretchable Organic Electrochemical Diode with a High Rectification Ratio at High Frequency (1 kHz)

Abstract

Stretchable diodes are fundamental building blocks for rectification and logic operations in soft integrated circuits; however, conventional diodes suffer from a persistent trade-off between rectification performance and electromechanical durability. Although electronic diodes based on rigid inorganic semiconductors deliver high rectification ratios exceeding 10³, their intrinsic brittleness restricts their application in deformable electronics. Conversely, conventional ionic diodes utilizing compliant ionic conductors can accommodate large tensile strains (>50%), but they are typically limited to low-frequency operations (<1 Hz) with modest rectification ratios (<100). Herein, we demonstrate a highly robust stretchable organic electrochemical diode based on a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) active layer. The rectifying behavior originates from bias-dependent hole injection and extraction at the junction between the PEDOT:PSS active layer and an Ag flake composite anode, which dynamically modulates the electrochemical doping state of the active layer to induce a highly asymmetric interfacial impedance response. Remarkably, the organic electrochemical diode preserves a rectification ratio of 300 at 1 kHz even under 100% tensile strain, alongside exceptional mechanical durability over 1,000 stretch–release cycles at 20% strain. Using this robust high-frequency capability, integrated OR and AND logic gates are successfully demonstrated to process 1 kHz alternating current (AC) signals. By simultaneously combining superior electromechanical stability, a high rectification ratio, and practical kHz operation, this platform represents a significant leap forward in the realization of next-generation deformable electronic systems.