| Project Detail |
Organic electronics offers huge potential for fabrication of large-area, low-cost, and efficient devices. Solution processing and availability of a vast library of organic semiconductors enables to exquisitely tailor properties to each application, while minimising waste of materials and maintaining low temperatures during processing thus reducing energy use. Although organic electronic devices have reached the market in large and flexible displays, their real potential in biomedical applications, sensing, and sustainable electronics remains unrealised. Crucial fundamental building blocks, such as organic field-effect transistors, are still hindered by limited charge mobility and unpredictable outcomes with new material recipes. Organic semiconductor performance is significantly reduced by formation of charge traps, which are local defects in the material or interfaces that remove charge carriers from the device conduction channels and obstruct transport. Accurate control of charge traps is critical to boost device performance, but they are notoriously difficult to identify, characterise and rationally engineer. OPTOCHARGE adopts a novel approach to optically stimulate traps with high spatial, temporal, and energy resolution, and reveal the key parameters for charge trap optimisation. The project systematically explores crystallinity, morphology, material blends, dopants and electrolyte gating to dissect the origin of traps and offer effective strategies to boost device performance. The proposal leverages unique interdisciplinary synergies between applicant and host, and provides an outstanding research setting to fulfil the full potential of the applicant and launch his academic career. |
