Molecular design of star-shaped benzotrithiophene materials for organic electronics

Progresses in the design and application of conjugated small molecules, oligomers and polymers have empowered rapid development of organic electronic technology as an alternative to conventional devices. Among the numerous organic electronic materials, benzotrithiophene (BTT)-based oligomers and polymers have recently come in the limelight demonstrating great potential in organic electronics as high performance photovoltaic devices, field-effect transistors, electrochromic materials, high-area capacitors and charge carrier discotic liquid crystals. In this digest, we propose an overview of the organic electronic materials based on BTT isomers, highlighting the structure-performance relationship. The results obtained so far clearly indicate that the BTT isomers are among the most promising building blocks for the development π-extended materials for optoelectronic applications in the near future.     

Solution-assisted assembly of organic semiconducting single crystals on surfaces with patterned wettability

Two efficient approaches to assembling organic semiconducting single crystals are described. The methods rely on solvent wetting and dewetting on substrates with patterned wettability to selectively direct the deposition or removal of organic crystals. Substrates were functionalized with different self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to achieve the desired wettabilities. The assembly of different organic crystals over centimeter-squared areas on Au, SiO2, and flexible plastic substrates was demonstrated. By designing line features on the substrate, the alignment of crystals, such as CuPc needles, was also achieved. As a demonstration of the potential application of this assembly approach, arrays of single-crystal organic field-effect transistors were fabricated by patterning organic single crystals directly onto and between transistor source and drain electrodes.     

High-mobility field-effect transistors from large-area solution-grown aligned C60 single crystals

Field-effect transistors based on single crystals of organic semiconductors have the highest reported charge carrier mobility among organic materials, demonstrating great potential of organic semiconductors for electronic applications. However, single-crystal devices are difficult to fabricate. One of the biggest challenges is to prepare dense arrays of single crystals over large-area substrates with controlled alignment. Here, we describe a solution processing method to grow large arrays of aligned C(60) single crystals. Our well-aligned C(60) single-crystal needles and ribbons show electron mobility as high as 11 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) (average mobility: 5.2 ± 2.1 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) from needles; 3.0 ± 0.87 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) from ribbons). This observed mobility is ~8-fold higher than the maximum reported mobility for solution-grown n-channel organic materials (1.5 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1)) and is ~2-fold higher than the highest mobility of any n-channel organic material (~6 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1)). Furthermore, our deposition method is scalable to a 100 mm wafer substrate, with around 50% of the wafer surface covered by aligned crystals. Hence, our method facilitates the fabrication of large amounts of high-quality semiconductor crystals for fundamental studies, and with substantial improvement on the surface coverage of crystals, this method might be suitable for large-area applications based on single crystals of organic semiconductors.     

Application of direct (hetero)arylation in constructing conjugated small molecules and polymers for organic optoelectronic devices

Direct (hetero)arylation, as a sustainable, atom-economic and environmentally benign synthetic protocol compared to conventional coupling techniques, has been extensively applied to the sustainable preparation of π-conjugated materials for organic optoelectronic devices. In this review, we will highlight recent advances made in direct arylation for conjugated small molecules and polymers toward high performance organic optoelectronic devices. Some important insights in direct arylation for synthesizing organic optoelectronic materials are given, together with the challenges and outlook in this significant and hot research field.     

Simultaneous patterning of nanoparticles and polymers using an evaporation driven flow in a vapor permeable template

Nanoparticles and polymers have great potential for lowering cost and increasing functionality of printed sensors and electronics. However, creation of practical devices requires that many of these materials be patterned on a single substrate, and many current patterning processes can only handle a single material at a time, necessitating alignment of serial processing steps. Higher throughput and lower cost can be achieved by patterning multiple materials simultaneously. To this end, the microfluidic molding process is adapted to pattern various nanoparticle and polymer inks simultaneously, in a completely additive manner, with three-dimensional control and high relative positional accuracy between the different materials. A differential template distortion observed in channels containing different inks is analyzed and found to result from pressure force in the template due to flow of a highly viscous and highly concentrated ink in small channels. The resulting optimization between patterning speed and dimensional fidelity is discussed.     

Organic single crystals or crystalline micro/nanostructures: Preparation and field-effect transistor applications

Organic single crystals hold great promise for the development of organic semiconductor materials, because they could reveal the intrinsic electronic properties of these materials, providing high-performance electronic devices and probing the structure-property relationships. This article reviews the preparation methods for organic single crystals or crystalline micro/nanostructures, including vapor phase growth methods and solution-processed methods, and summarizes a few methods employed in the fabrication of field-effect transistors along with dozens of examples concerning both small molecules and polymers with high field-effect performance.     

有机单晶电路的研究进展

与传统硅基集成电路相比, 有机集成电路具有成本低、 柔性及易携带等优势. 有机单晶集成电路在有机集成电路的基础上提高了材料的有序度和迁移率, 从而大大提升了电学性能, 具有丰富的研究价值和广泛的应用前景. 本文综合评述了有机单晶电路的研究进展, 重点总结了利用有机单晶制备逻辑门电路的相关工作, 并介绍了将有机单晶用于集成电路上的尝试, 最后分析了有机单晶集成电路研究中面临的挑战并对其未来的发展进行了展望.     

Bioengineering single crystal growth

Biomineralization is a "bottom-up" synthesis process that results in the formation of inorganic/organic nanocomposites with unrivaled control over structure, superior mechanical properties, adaptive response, and the capability of self-repair. While de novo design of such highly optimized materials may still be out of reach, engineering of the biosynthetic machinery may offer an alternative route to design advanced materials. Herein, we present an approach using micro-contact-printed lectins for patterning sea urchin embryo primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs) in vitro. We demonstrate not only that PMCs cultured on these substrates show attachment to wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A patterns but, more importantly, that the deposition and elongation of calcite spicules occurs cooperatively by multiple cells and in alignment with the printed pattern. This allows us to control the placement and orientation of smooth, cylindrical calcite single crystals where the crystallographic c-direction is parallel to the cylinder axis and the underlying line pattern.     

An Organic Crystal with High Elasticity at an Ultra‐Low Temperature (77 K) and Shapeability at High Temperatures

Organic single crystals with elastic bending capability and potential applications in flexible devices and sensors have been elucidated. Exploring the temperature compatibility of elasticity is essential for defining application boundaries of elastic materials. However, related studies have rarely been reported for elastic organic crystals. Now, an organic crystal displays elasticity even in liquid nitrogen (77 K). The elasticity can be maintained below ca. 150 °C. At higher temperatures, the heat setting property enables us to make various shapes of crystalline fibers based on this single kind of crystal. Through detailed crystallographic analyses and contrast experiments, the mechanisms behind the unusual low‐temperature elasticity and high‐temperature heat setting are disclosed.     

The Emergence of Organic Single‐Crystal Electronics

Organic semiconducting single crystals are perfect for both fundamental and application‐oriented research due to the advantages of free grain boundaries, few defects, and minimal traps and impurities, as well as their low‐temperature processability, high flexibility, and low cost. Carrier mobilities of greater than 10 cm² V^?1 s^?1 in some organic single crystals indicate a promising application in electronic devices. The progress made, including the molecular structures and fabrication technologies of organic single crystals, is introduced and organic single‐crystal electronic devices, including field‐effect transistors, phototransistors, p‐n heterojunctions, and circuits, are summarized. Organic two‐dimensional single crystals, cocrystals, and large single crystals, together with some potential applications, are introduced. A state‐of‐the‐art overview of organic single‐crystal electronics, with their challenges and prospects, is also provided.     

Opto-electronic polymers for advanced computer and communication technologies

This paper describes reviews about the characterization of optical and electronic (opto-electronic) organic materials including polymers, and their applications for advanced key devices used for computers and communications technologies. On the basis of the author's recent investigations, discussions are made on organic electroluminescent thin film materials for emissive display devices, polymer-dispersed liquid crystal materials for passive display devices, organic photo-conductive materials for electrophotographic printer devices, and highly electroconductive polymers for solid tantalum capacitors. Finally, technical issues and development prospects for the opto-electronic organic materials in the 21st century are suggested.     

Recent advances in particle and droplet manipulation for lab-on-a-chip devices based on surface acoustic waves

Manipulation of microscale particles and fluid liquid droplets is an important task for lab-on-a-chip devices for numerous biological researches and applications, such as cell detection and tissue engineering. Particle manipulation techniques based on surface acoustic waves (SAWs) appear effective for lab-on-a-chip devices because they are non-invasive, compatible with soft lithography micromachining, have high energy density, and work for nearly any type of microscale particles. Here we review the most recent research and development of the past two years in SAW based particle and liquid droplet manipulation for lab-on-a-chip devices including particle focusing and separation, particle alignment and patterning, particle directing, and liquid droplet delivery.     

有机光伏材料与器件研究的新进展

近几年有机光伏电池应用研究发展迅猛。本文综述了有机光伏薄膜电池在材料(包括有机小分子材料与聚合物材料)、器件构造方面的最新进展，分析了有机聚合物光伏电池目前效率低的主要原因，并探讨了该领域进一步研究的方向和前景。     

Self-assembled submicron-height terrace structures of pentacene single crystals formed in liquid crystal cells

A flat-surface single crystal structure of pentacene organic semiconductor was formed, with a submicron-height terrace structure, in liquid crystal solvent cells; the formation mechanism is discussed. By cooling the pentacene solution in a heated cell until supersaturated, a variety of segregated crystal morphology was observed, including dendrite, lozenge and needle-like crystals. Segregation of lozenge crystals was promoted by the appropriate pentacene concentration combined with the rubbing process of polyimide alignment layers, and the crystal morphology was examined in detailed. As a result, based on terrace-structural growth, low-profile flat-surface crystal morphology was found in addition to conventional pyramidal morphology. The molecular alignment of the flat pentacene crystal was confirmed by anisotropy of the microscopic Raman scattering intensity of the polarized incident light used for excitation. The self-assembly of flat thin single crystal plates, whose maximum size reach 150 µm approximately, may be applicable to practical electronic devices such as organic transistors.     

有机单晶场效应晶体管

有机单晶场效应晶体管的研究对于探索电子的本质特性具有十分重要的意义。近几年来,不管是在制备技术还是在器件性能的研究方面,有机单晶场效应晶体管均取得了很大的进步,并由此引起了社会的广泛关注,成为场效应晶体管领域的一个重要研究方向。本文主要介绍了有机单晶的生长方法、有机场效应器件的各种制备技术、器件的迁移率及其影响因素,并对有机单晶场效应晶体管的发展前景和面临的一些问题作了简要的讨论。     

有机单晶场效应晶体管

有机单晶场效应晶体管的研究对于探索电子的本质特性具有十分重要的意义。近几年来,不管是在制备技术还是在器件性能的研究方面,有机单晶场效应晶体管均取得了很大的进步,并由此引起了社会的广泛关注,成为场效应晶体管领域的一个重要研究方向。本文主要介绍了有机单晶的生长方法、有机场效应器件的各种制备技术、器件的迁移率及其影响因素,并对有机单晶场效应晶体管的发展前景和面临的一些问题作了简要的讨论。     

Mechanically compliant single crystals of a stable organic radical

Mechanically compliant organic crystals are the foundation of the development of future flexible, light-weight single-crystal electronics, and this requires reversibly deformable crystalline organic materials with permanent magnetism. Here, we report and characterize the first instance of a plastically bendable single crystal of a permanent organic radical, 4-(4′-cyano-2′,3′,4′,5′-tetrafluorophenyl)-1,2,3,5-dithiadiazolyl. The weak interactions between the radicals render single crystals of the β phase of this material exceedingly soft, and the S–N interactions facilitate plastic bending. EPR imaging of a bent single crystal reveals the effect of deformation on the three-dimensional spin density of the crystal. The unusual mechanical compliance of this material opens prospects for exploration into flexible crystals of other stable organic radicals towards the development of flexible light-weight organic magnetoresistance devices based on weak, non-hydrogen-bonded interactions in molecular crystals.

Mechanically soft crystals are interesting candidates for single crystal electronics. Here, crystals of a stable dithiadiazolyl radical are shown to be plastically bendable and display a change in their spin density in response to mechanical force.     

Discotic liquid crystals: a new generation of organic semiconductors

Discotic (disc-like) molecules typically comprising a rigid aromatic core and flexible peripheral chains have been attracting growing interest because of their fundamental importance as model systems for the study of charge and energy transport and due to the possibilities of their application in organic electronic devices. This critical review covers various aspects of recent research on discotic liquid crystals, in particular, molecular design concepts, supramolecular structure, processing into ordered thin films and fabrication of electronic devices. The chemical structure of the conjugated core of discotic molecules governs, to a large extent, their intramolecular electronic properties. Variation of the peripheral flexible chains and of the aromatic core is decisive for the tuning of self-assembly in solution and in bulk. Supramolecular organization of discotic molecules can be effectively controlled by the choice of the processing methods. In particular, approaches to obtain suitable macroscopic orientations of columnar superstructures on surfaces, that is, planar uniaxial or homeotropic alignment, are discussed together with appropriate processing techniques. Finally, an overview of charge transport in discotic materials and their application in optoelectronic devices is given.     

Covalent Organic Frameworks as Emerging Nonlinear Optical Materials

The vastness of organic synthetic strategies and knowledge of reticular chemistry have made covalent organic frameworks (COFs) one of the most chemically and structurally diverse class of materials with potential applications ranging from gas storage, molecular separation, and catalysis to energy storage and magnetism. Recently, this class of porous materials has garnered increasing interest as potential nonlinear optical (NLO) materials. Traditionally, inorganic crystals, small-molecule organic chromophores, and oligomers have been studied for their NLO response. Nevertheless, COFs offer significant advantages over existing NLO materials in terms of higher mechanical strength, thermochemical stability, and extended conjugation. Herein, we discuss crucial aspects, terminology, and measurement techniques related to NLO, followed by a critical analysis of the design principles for COFs with NLO response. Furthermore, we touch on selected potential applications of these NLO materials. Finally, future prospects and challenges of COFs as NLO materials are discussed.     

利用扫描开尔文探针显微镜观察薄膜光电器件能级排布

薄膜光电器件的能级结构直接决定了载流子的产生、分离、传输、复合和收集等微观动力学过程,从而决定了器件性能。因此准确获取器件能级结构,是深入理解器件工作机制、推动器件技术革新的重要科学依据。此专论系统地介绍了本课题组利用扫描开尔文探针显微镜(SKPM)表征薄膜光电器件如有机太阳能电池、有机-无机钙钛矿光探测器等器件中界面能级结构的工作。垂直型薄膜器件中的活性材料层被顶电极与底电极封闭,通常难以直接在器件工况下测量其中的界面能级排布,我们发展了横截面SKPM技术来解决这一难题。研究表明,界面层是调控器件能级结构、决定器件极性、提高器件性能的重要手段。本文介绍的表征技术有望在各种薄膜光电器件,诸如光伏器件、光探测器、发光二极管,尤其是各种叠层构型器件的研究中展现出广阔的应用前景。