(November 4) New Frontiers in Organic Electronics

Organic electronics, a field of science and technology based on carbon-based semiconductors, has been the subject of active research over the past decades. Due to their ability to be patterned at low temperature, over large areas, using conventional coating and printing techniques, carbon-based semiconductors can lead to a new generation of energy-efficient products with unique form factors using energy-efficient manufacturing approaches. While the organic semiconductor layer plays a central role, the interfaces that are formed between the organic semiconducting layer and adjacent oxide layers or electrodes are also very critical and often determine the overall electrical performance of the device.

In this talk, we will discuss recent progress in a range of solid-state devices, including organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), sensors, organic solar cells, and photodetectors. We will present strategies to modify and stabilize the electronic properties of interfaces that can yield devices with improved performance and longer lifetime. Examples of recent studies to reduce the environmental footprint of this emerging technology will be provided. We will show that these advances can lead to disruptive innovations to address some of the world’s greatest challenges.